By George George Idowu
The United Nations agencies have estimated 55 million people across West and Central Africa are set to face dire escalating food crises in the upcoming months.
According to them, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Mali are identified as among the hardest-hit countries.
This was disclosed in a statement released on Friday by The World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
They highlighted that the number of individuals at risk of hunger during the lean season from June to August has quadrupled over the past five years.
According to the statement, the crisis is exacerbated by economic challenges like double-digit inflation and stagnant local production, in addition to ongoing conflicts in the region.
The prices of staple grains have surged by 10 per cent to over 100 per cent compared to the five-year average across the region, pushing families into deeper hardship. In northern Mali, about 2,600 people are expected to face catastrophic hunger.
Margot Vandervelden, WFP’s acting regional director for West Africa, emphasized the urgency of the situation, urging all partners to intensify efforts to prevent the crisis from worsening.
She stressed the need for investments in resilience-building and long-term solutions.
Malnutrition levels are alarmingly high, especially among children. The agencies reported that eight out of 10 children aged between six and 23 months are not receiving sufficient food for optimal growth.
Additionally, 16.7 million children under five are acutely malnourished, with over two-thirds of households unable to afford nutritious diets.
UNICEF Regional Director Gilles Fagninou highlighted the importance of holistic support for children, emphasizing nutrition, health, education, water, sanitation, and social protection systems.
To address the unprecedented food and nutrition insecurity, the FAO’s Sub-regional Coordinator for West Africa, Robert Guei, called for policies to enhance and diversify local food production.
The region’s heavy dependence on food imports, particularly in countries battling inflation, underscores the urgent need for strategic interventions to avert a deepening crisis.