Food insecurity in the Sahel: 18 million people at risk

WFP estimates that in the Sahel, more than seven and a half million children under the age of five are expected to suffer from malnutrition in the next three months (June, July and August 2022).

© Pixabay / Andrey Braynsk

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Eighteen million people are threatened by food insecurity in the Sahel over the next three months.

This is the terrible observation made by the World Food Program (WHO), Friday, May 20, during its weekly press briefing, in Geneva, Switzerland.

This figure is the highest since 2014.

Advertisement

Read more

This crisis can be explained by several factors.

There is, first of all, the insecurity and armed conflicts that have spread throughout the Sahelian countries and, then, the Covid-19 pandemic, the drought or even the rise in food prices linked to the global situation.

The first victims of this crisis remain the most fragile populations such as children.

The WFP estimates that in the Sahel, more than seven and a half million children under the age of five are expected to suffer from malnutrition.

And the situation is all the more serious as the coffers of the WFP, the main humanitarian actor in the region, are soon empty.

The organization faces " 

 ", according to its spokesman, Thomson Phiri.

Update on the dire situation in the #Sahel:

"Up to 18 million people in the Sahel region will face severe food insecurity over the next 3 months - the highest number since 2014," - @JensLaerke, @UNOCHA

"Needs are sky high, and resources are at rock bottom," - @PhiriTomson, @WFP pic.twitter.com/kRGmL1hdNF

— UN Geneva (@UNGeneva) May 20, 2022

In Chad, for example, the WFP has already been forced, since June 2021, to halve the emergency rations for internally displaced people and refugees.

Without donor support, the organization risks interrupting its programme.

Food insecurity in 🇹🇩 is alarming.

+ 2.1 MM people need emergency food assistance.

@WFP_FR is working with Govt to respond, but lacks resources.

We urgently need #funding" dixit @PierreHonnorat, new Rep & Country Director @WFP_Chad pic.twitter.com/Cz4VgDlbRZ

—WFP_Chad (@WFP_Chad) May 19, 2022

Read also: West Africa and the Sahel are trying to mobilize funds to avoid famine

The UN has already released $30 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund for Chad, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

• sahel

• Food

• UN

• Chad