Food insecurity, malnutrition reaches 10-year high in West Africa, Sahel

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau

UNITED NATIONS, 19th April. According to the latest data released by the UN agencies warned on Tuesday that the food insecurity and malnutrition in West and Central Africa will reach 10-year high by June as the crisis expands to coastal countries.

They said that 45,000 people are at risk of experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger, or famine in Sahel.

The majority, 42,000, are in Burkina Faso and Mali, where violent unrest in some areas has hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The data said that the combined effects of conflict, climate shocks, the COVID-19 pandemic and high food prices, continue to drive up hunger and malnutrition in the region.

The number of people who do not have regular access to safe and nutritious food is expected to reach 48 million during the lean season from June to August, the agencies said.

Chris Nikoi, Regional Director for the World Food Programme said that “The spiraling food security and nutrition situation in Western Africa is just heart-breaking,”

“There is a crucial need for massive investment in strengthening the capacities of communities and individuals to withstand shocks while prioritizing local and long-term solutions to food production, transformation and access for vulnerable groups,” he added.

WFP, FAO, the UNICEF and the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, have renewed their call for greater support to Governments in the region.

The data showed that 16.5 million children under five are set to face acute malnutrition this year, including five million who are at risk of debilitating severe malnutrition.

Their numbers represent a staggering 83 percent rise in global acute malnutrition compared to the 2015 to 2022 average.

Conflict and population displacement are also fuelling the crisis, leading to reduced access to essential health, nutrition and water and sanitation services, as well as social protection.

Marie-Pierre Poirier, Regional Director for the UNICEF said that “Growing insecurity and conflict means vulnerability is increasing in the region, and it is getting harder to help communities in isolated areas,”

Access to food, as well as availability, remain a major concern despite improved rainfall last year.

West and Central Africa are dependent on imports, but currency depreciation and high inflation are causing food import bills to rise. The situation is unfolding even as Governments grapple with major fiscal constraints and macroeconomic challenges, the data stated..

There are concerns that restrictions on seasonal cattle movements, and high concentrations of livestock in some areas, could lead to further deterioration in pastoral and security conditions.

Robert Guei, FAO’s Sub-regional Coordinator for West Africa, said the continued deterioration of the food and nutrition situation is “unacceptable”.

He added that despite the increase of cereal production, access to food for most people remains challenging as markets have been disrupted because of insecurity and high food prices.

“This trend will probably continue to worsen the food and nutrition situation and therefore we must address the root causes of this crisis in a concerted manner and immediately,” he said.

“It is time for action to boost agricultural production to achieve food sovereignty in our region.”

UN agencies appealed to development and humanitarian partners, and the private sector, to step up support to central governments.

Charles Bernimolin, head of OCHA’s office for the region said “The food and nutrition crisis has a multi-sectoral impact on the living conditions of affected populations in the region, in areas already experiencing humanitarian crises and in all West and Central African countries,”.

“This requires the collective deployment of multisectoral approaches based on the needs expressed by the population putting West and Central Africa people at the centre,” he added.