The World Food Program warns of conflict, climate change and COVID-19, and soaring food, fuel and fertilizer prices are stabilizing the Sahel region of Africa. It further threatens the development outlook. ..
WFP warns of a wave of hunger, spreading suffering to parts of the Sahel, putting people at risk of despair and benefiting years of development.
Government agencies report that 12.7 million people are suffering from severe hunger, including 1.4 million at risk of hunger. It is said that 6 million children are severely malnourished and can die of illness or death if not treated for their illness.
Alexandre Le Cuziat is a WFP Advanced Emergency Response and Response Advisor in West Africa. From Dakar, Senegal, he warns of the number of people suffering from severe hunger, and the number of malnourished children could increase during the current lean season, when food stocks are low.
"We see that acute hunger is primarily caused by conflict, which continues to cause large-scale migration, and violence causes people to market, fields, or humanitarian aid. It often impedes access. The region also withstands the consequences of a climate shock from the very light rains of 2021, one of the worst in the last 40 years. " Said.
Le Cuziat states that the conflict in Ukraine has pushed up food and energy prices. He added that it led to a lack of fertilizer needed for the planting season.
He states that less than half of the fertilizer demand in the region is met. This could reduce agricultural production in the region by 20% this year and further increase hunger levels, he says.
He says the needs of the region are record high as resources to respond to emergencies are declining. He says the lack of funding has forced WFP to reduce the number of people receiving aid and reduce rations for the remaining beneficiaries.
"We have reduced rations by up to 50% in all Sahel countries, Nigeria and CAR, even before the conflict in Ukraine boosts global prices for food, fuel and fertilizer. Forced .. And our emergency nutrition program is also underfunded and, coupled with the cuts I mentioned in our business, will put a lot of stress on the few resources left by the poorest families. "He said.
Le Cuziat, in the next six months, 3 to prevent WFP from becoming its life-saving activity, and to prevent Sahel from becoming what he calls a total humanitarian catastrophe. It says it needs $ 229 million.
