A recent United Nations report has revealed that over 40 million people in West and Central Africa are experiencing a severe hunger crisis.
The report projects that the number of affected individuals could rise to 52 million by mid-2025, according to credible news sources.
Released by the UN’s Food Agency, the report noted that 3.4 million people in the region are currently facing “emergency levels of hunger,” marking a 70% increase since the summer.
The report identified conflict, displacement, economic instability, and severe climate shocks as the primary drivers of this crisis. It emphasized that ongoing conflicts in the Sahel and the Sudanese civil war have displaced over 10 million people across the region. Additionally, severe flooding in Nigeria and Chad earlier this year has exacerbated the situation.
Despite the dire circumstances, the report highlighted a reduction of 7.7 million in the number of people affected compared to estimates in 2023. This improvement, according to the World Food Programme (WFP), is attributed to better-than-average rainfall and marginal security improvements, although further significant progress is not anticipated.
WFP’s regional director for Western Africa, Margot Van der Velden, stated that breaking the “vicious cycle of hunger” in the region requires better planning and preparedness.
“We need timely, flexible, and predictable funding to reach crisis-affected people with lifesaving assistance, and massive investments in preparedness, anticipatory action, and resilience-building to empower communities and reduce humanitarian needs,” said Van der Velden.
