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Niger + 3 more

West Africa

The Sahel region of West Africa is facing a looming hunger crisis in 2012 with the UN and governments estimating that more than 12 million people in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad are at risk of food insecurity.

There is a chronic food and nutrition emergency in the region and an on-going livelihoods crisis, which is only worsened by this year’s poor and erratic rains, locust infestations and high food prices.

UNICEF has estimated that more than a million children face the prospect of malnutrition in the next 12 months. People in Sahel region are still recovering from the last food crisis in 2010 which is increasing their vulnerability.

Robert Schofield, Tearfund's Disaster Management Director, said, 'We know the hunger situation in the Sahel is going to deteriorate over the coming months and there is a small window to do something now to prevent a much worse crisis next year.'

Strengthening communities

Tearfund partners are helping communities prepare for a very difficult year ahead with the UN predicting a lean season as early as January.

Away Dankasoua has been supported by a Tearfund partner in Niger to do market gardening which has provided her with much needed income.

Not only has she been able to buy food but she has used this money to buy more seeds and pay for school fees for one of her children. This is one of the ways that we are strengthening vulnerable communities, which is crucial in reducing the impact of a food crisis.

A Tearfund study in Malawi showed that for every £1 invested in agriculture and reducing risk to climate change, in return there were £24 of net benefits for the communities.