Food Crisis in the Sahel
Irregular rains in 2009 have led to a severe lack of pasture, water and a poor harvest. The worst affected country is Niger where 7.1 million people are at risk. Some 2 million people are threatened in Chad and a substantial number of people are expected to be affected in Mali in the coming months. Parts of Nigeria and Burkina Faso are also at risk.
In Niger, the harvest has fallen by 26% as compared with the previous year, and some areas, especially the Diffa in the east of country and Tillabéry to the west, have had no harvest at all. In Chad, harvests have fallen by 34%. The areas of Hadjer Lamis, Batha, Kanem, Guera regions and eastern Chad are expected to be hit hard, especially from June 2010. Overall, the harvest in the Sahel has decreased by 9% with great disparities between East and West Sahel.
What Oxfam is doing
Oxfam has launched an emergency program to provide support to 400,000 people in Niger and 142,000 people in Mali.
In the most vulnerable regions of Niger, we are distributing food and supplies to the poorest households and schoolchildren, protecting livestock and buying weak livestock from herders at above market levels. Moreover, an early warning system has been developed by our partners in Niger and broadcasted on rural radio networks. This gives cattle herders the information they need to act quickly.
In Chad, Oxfam is distributing food and running agricultural and livelihood support projects and will be sending assessment teams to the affected areas. In Mali, we will be distributing food and animal feed to 100,000 people.
Oxfam has worked in the Sahel region for decades, developing sustainable solutions to tackle the root causes of food shortages such as creating cereal and fodder banks, promoting income diversification as well as education and literacy.
Latest news
Lack of funds for West Africa food crisis forces UN to make agonizing decision
2010-08-16
The fight to survive
2010-07-23
Prey to the hungry season
2010-07-23
Herders are destocking, but are already thinking ahead to rebuilding their animal stocks
2010-07-23
Food crisis in Niger – photo gallery
2010-06-29
Food crisis in Chad: Selling the last ram
2010-05-11
The effects of drought in Chad – photo gallery
2010-05-07
Water scarcity causing food insecurity in Mali
2010-05-05
Food crisis in Chad: Looking for food in the anthills
2010-04-20
Failed rains put 10 million people at risk of a food crisis across West Africa
2010-03-17
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