UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (WSH) — A record 52 million people in West and Central Africa are projected to face acute hunger during the upcoming lean season, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday, amid worsening conflict, displacement, economic instability, and extreme weather.
Crisis Escalates Across the Region
New data shows that 36 million people are already struggling to meet basic food needs, with projections indicating a rise to over 52 million between June and August. Among them, nearly 3 million face emergency levels of hunger, including 2,600 individuals in Mali on the brink of famine.
“This food security situation in the Sahel remains extremely difficult and dire,” said Ollo Sib, WFP senior research adviser, speaking from Dakar. He described scenes of hardship from recent field visits, including communities in northern Ghana forced to replant crops multiple times amid drought and price hikes in food and seeds.
In northern Mali, he added, some pastoralist communities can no longer afford basic grains, with food prices now 50 percent higher than the five-year average—while access to markets remains blocked.
Conflict and Climate Fuel Food Insecurity
According to WFP, persistent violence has displaced over 10 million people, including more than 2 million refugees and asylum seekers in Chad, Cameroon, Mauritania, and Niger. An additional 8 million are internally displaced, particularly in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Soaring inflation, fueled by rising global food and fuel costs, combined with repeated climate shocks, is rapidly eroding families’ capacity to survive.
“Without immediate funding, WFP will be forced to scale down both the number of people we reach and the size of food rations,” said Margot van der Velden, WFP Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
$710 Million Needed Urgently
WFP is seeking $710 million to maintain critical aid operations through October. The agency aims to assist nearly 12 million people this year, including refugees, displaced families, children under five suffering from malnutrition, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. So far, only 3 million have received support. Without new funding, 5 million could lose assistance.
A Call for Long-Term Solutions
The agency also stressed the importance of investing in long-term resilience. Since 2018, WFP’s regional initiatives have rehabilitated over 300,000 hectares of land and benefited 4 million people across 3,400 villages.
