Attachments
Persistent food insecurity in conflict areas despite ongoing harvests
Key Messages
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Harvests are ongoing and are improving household food availability. According to the regional monitoring system, the 2019/20 harvests could be average overall or even higher than the average by 12 to 20 percent. However, in several areas affected by insecurity and conflict (Liptako-Gourma region and the Lake Chad basin), production is reported to be below average, partly due to the displacement of rural poor households and land losses. As a result, livestock movements and access to fodder resources continue to be significantly hampered by insecurity. Grazing land is considered fair in places in the Sahel, with the most worrying being in western Mauritania and northern Senegal for a third consecutive year.
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Food supply is beginning to increase seasonally as a result of ongoing harvests, while demand is decreasing with large stocks on hold. Prices are stable or decreasing compared to the previous month but still below average. They remain high in conflict areas. Local and imported rice prices remain above average in most coastal countries. The closure of Nigeria's land borders hinders trade and has affected the prices of imported goods on the rise. With ongoing harvests, supply will continue to increase, and prices will be below average throughout the harvest and post-harvest periods.
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Most areas will remain in Minimal (IPC Phase 1) food insecurity until May 2020 and some will remain in Stressed (IPC Phase 2). However, continued insecurity in northern Burkina Faso, central and northern Mali, western Niger, north-western Nigeria and the Lake Chad basin will continue to increase the number of internally displaced persons and refugees. Humanitarian aid will help to maintain Stressed (IPC Phase 2!) in the regions of Mopti and Gao in Mali, Diffa in Niger and Lake Chad.
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Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of food insecurity continue to prevail in the regions of Tillabéry in Niger, Tibesti in Chad, Soum and surrounding provinces in Burkina Faso, eastern CAR and English-speaking regions of Cameroon due to armed conflicts and/or civil insecurity that significantly disrupt household livelihoods and severely reduce the distribution of humanitarian aid. Households in northeastern Nigeria affected by the Boko Haram conflict continue to depend on humanitarian aid for access to food and remain food insecure and remain in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) particularly in Borno State and incidentally Yobé State. In adjacent areas that remain inaccessible to humanitarian actors, the food security situation could be similar or worse.