UN agencies say double-digit inflation and stagnant local production are the main drivers of the hunger crisis.
Nearly 55 million people will struggle to feed themselves in the coming months in West and Central Africa as rising prices have fueled a food crisis, United Nations agencies have warned.
In a joint statement On Friday, the World Food Program (WFP), the UN children’s agency UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the number facing hunger in the June-August period had quadrupled in the past five years.
He said economic challenges, such as double-digit inflation and stagnant local production, have become key drivers of the crisis, in addition to recurring conflicts in the region.
And he noted that Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Mali would be among the worst affected.
UN agencies said prices of staple grains continued to rise across the region from 10 percent to more than 100 percent compared to the five-year average.
The situation was particularly worrying in northern Mali, where some 2,600 people were likely to experience catastrophic famine, he added.
“The time for action is now. We need all partners to step up… to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control,” said Margot Vandervelden, WFP’s deputy regional director for West Africa.
“We need to invest more in building resilience and longer-term solutions for West Africa’s future,” he added.
Malnourished children
Food shortages have also led to “alarmingly high” levels of malnutrition, with children being hit hard.
The agencies reported that eight out of 10 children between the ages of six and 23 months do not consume the minimum amount of food needed for optimal growth and development.
It also said that about 16.7 million children under the age of five are severely malnourished and more than two in three households cannot afford healthy food.
“For children in the region to reach their full potential, we must ensure that every girl and boy receives good nutrition and care, lives in a healthy and safe environment and is given the right opportunities to learn,” said UNICEF Regional Director Gilles Fagninou. .
“To make a lasting difference in children’s lives, we must consider the whole child situation and strengthen education, health, water and sanitation, food and social protection systems,” he added.
The region’s heavy reliance on food imports has tightened the squeeze, particularly for countries battling high inflation such as Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Policies should be introduced to stimulate and diversify local food production “to respond to unprecedented food and nutrition insecurity,” said Robert Guei, FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for West Africa.