Sahel and West Africa: Regional food and nutrition outlook

According to Cadre Harmonisé analyses and projections carried out in 14 countries in the region, some 29.5 million people are in need of urgent food and nutritional assistance (phase 3), and a further 107.5 million are currently under food pressure (phase 2). These figures could reach 42.5 million people (phase 3) by June-August 2023 if appropriate measures are not taken. The Network draws the attention of political decision-makers on the persistence of factors aggravating food and nutrition crises. These include civil insecurity, which has left more than 7.5 million internally displaced people deprived of their livelihoods (housing, productive capital, social networks) and access to education and healthcare. It now extends to northern Togo and Benin; persistent inflation, limiting households’ access to sufficient quantities of nutritious food; the worsening adverse effects of climate change, which are weakening food systems. Cereal production for the 2022-2023 agropastoral season, estimated at over 77 million tonnes, is 6% up on the average for the last five years and 8% up on last year. However, per capita production is down 2% on the average for the last five years in the Sahel and Gulf of Guinea countries.