DAKAR / GENEVA (10 June 2013) – More than 40 parliamentarians, government officials, and representatives of civil society and national human rights institutions will come together in Dakar on 13-14 June 2013 to identify the best ways of putting the human right to adequate food into practice in the region.

L'Afrique de l’Ouest peut être divisée en trois zones agro-écologiques ou en trois bassins commerciaux (bassins de l’ouest, bassin du centre, bassin de l’est). Les deux sont importants pour l'interprétation du comportement et de la dynamique du marché.

Au Bénin, 1 500 femmes meurent, chaque année, de complications liées à la grossesse, à l'accouchement ou des suites de couches. Depuis octobre 2011, CARE France mène un projet innovant s'appuyant sur la téléphonie mobile pour lutter contre la mortalité infantile dans le département du Zou.

Pour les mères béninoises, la mortalité à l'accouchement est un danger permanent.

A delegation from PepsiCo Quaker in the Netherlands recently travelled to Benin to visit WFP’s school feeding programme, which the company is supporting. The visit demonstrated the impact that PepsiCo Quaker’s contributions have had on primary schools in Benin.

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

• Estimates for the 2012 harvest point to another above average cereal production

• Cereal markets remain well supplied, following last year’s good crop

The 2013 rainy season has started in the South

The raining season has started in the southern part of the country, where planting of the first maize crop is underway. Planting will progress northwards with the onset of rains.

Summary: On 6 January, a fire broke out in the village of Alloya, resulting in in the destruction of hundreds of houses and displacing almost 3,000 people, leaving the affected families in a very vulnerable situation without any shelter.

West African policy makers should prepare for future challenges from climate change as they address the pressing needs of broad-based economic growth. Maize, millet, rice, and sorghum are the major cereal crops in the region, yet yields from these crops are very low compared to the world average and even other regions in Africa. Impacts from a changing climate will challenge production systems already under pressure to produce more to feed a growing population.

West Africa can be divided into three agro-ecological zones or three different trade basins (West Basin, Central Basin and East Basin). Both important for understanding market behavior and dynamics.

GLIDE n° EP-2012-000186-BEN

Period covered by this update: 10 November 2012 to 31 January 2013.

Summary: CHF 112,195 was allocated from the IFRC`s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 9 November 2012, to support the National Society in delivering immediate assistance to some 25,000 people in 5,000 households.