The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has raised alarms over the worsening hunger crisis in West and Central Africa, as ongoing conflicts, displacement, economic hardship, and extreme weather conditions push the region toward a catastrophic food security situation.
Recent assessments indicate that 36 million people are struggling to meet basic food needs, with this number expected to climb to over 52 million during the lean season between June and August.
Among those affected, nearly three million are in emergency food conditions, while 2,600 people in Mali are facing catastrophic hunger.
Despite the rising demand, the WFP is facing a severe funding shortfall, threatening its ability to continue providing food assistance.
“Without immediate funding, WFP will be forced to scale down further, impacting both the number of people we reach and the amount of food we distribute,” said Margot van der Velden, regional director for West and Central Africa.
Food insecurity in the region has reached alarming levels. In 2019, only four percent of the population was food insecure, but that figure has now soared to 30 percent, according to WFP’s senior research adviser, Ollo Sib.
Sib warned that the situation in the Sahel, in particular, remains extremely dire.
WFP teams have recently visited some of the hardest-hit areas, including northern Ghana, where people are grappling with severe drought conditions. Many communities have had to replant multiple times, adding financial strain due to the high costs of seeds and fertilizers.
Additionally, in northern Mali, food prices have surged by 50 percent compared to the five-year average, leaving local pastoralists unable to sell their livestock.
Conflict continues to be a major driver of hunger in the region. Over 10 million people have been displaced by violence, including more than two million refugees and asylum seekers in Chad, Cameroon, Mauritania, and Niger.
Meanwhile, nearly eight million people have been displaced within their own countries, particularly in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Rising food and fuel prices are also exacerbating hunger, pushing food inflation to record highs.
The WFP stated that extreme weather events further erode families’ ability to feed themselves, making the situation even more challenging.
The WFP is working to scale up its response and is seeking $710 million in funding to support life-saving operations in the region through the end of October.
The agency aims to assist 12 million people this year, with three million of the most vulnerable individuals already receiving aid. However, without immediate financial support, up to five million people may lose access to critical food assistance.
The WFP is also calling on governments and partners to invest in long-term solutions that focus on building resilience and reducing reliance on aid.
Since 2018, the UN agency has been collaborating with regional governments to tackle the root causes of hunger, rehabilitating over 300,000 hectares of land to support sustainable agricultural practices.
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