The food and nutrition crisis in the Sahel threatens to affect over 10 million people, out of which the World Food Programme (WFP) plans to assist around 8.8 million people with food and nutrition assistance until the end of 2012. In addition to the reduction in food and fodder production, aggravating factors include high food prices and little time to recover from the last drought in 2009/2010, leaving people with limited coping mechanisms. Malnutrition rates, particularly affecting children under two, are generally high in the Sahel, and usually rise during the lean season. It is well known that food insecurity during the lean season leads to significant peaks in acute malnutrition and mortality, taking it beyond critical levels. In close collaboration with Governments and partners, WFP has been setting up preparedness and response strategies across the region.
While WFP’s Regional Response Framework outlines the pillars of our regional preparedness, WFP’s operational response is implemented through ongoing and new projects in the affected countries. WFP is currently updating and aligning the Regional Response Framework with approved projects in the respective countries. The revised document will also outline the logistical support to the crisis response, which WFP provides through a new regional operation, augmenting the logistics capacities, as well as the humanitarian air services (UNHAS) in Niger, Mali, and Mauritania.