ReliefWeb

In Numbers

• 6.3 million people severely food insecure in areas affected by the conflict

• 4 countries affected

• 2.6 million people displaced, of which 1.8 million in Nigeria alone

• 9.2 million people in need of assistance

Highlights

• WFP provided food and nutrition support to 738,834 people in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad in October.

• In 2017, WFP will scale up its intervention, targeting 2.1 million people across the four affected countries.

• Insecurity continues to hamper access to remote locations where populations are taking refuge, affecting WFP’s ability to provide assistance to those in needs. WFP is working on mechanisms to enhance access, such as Rapid Response Mechanisms, jointly with UNICEF, to access deep field areas in north-east Nigeria.

Situation Update

• Insecurity continues to hamper access to remote locations where populations are taking refuge, affecting WFP’s ability to provide assistance to those in need. Strikes against security forces in Borno State in Nigeria and Far north, Cameroon continued, while attacks against civilians and military targets in south Borno State and northern Adamawa State increased. Attacks against military targets in Bama LGA directly impacted WFP operations, resulting into a slowdown of supply activities after the ambush of a WFP rented truck. In Niger, two sporadic attacks against WFP partners’ Health Centre in Diffa affected WFP assets.

• WFP is exploring mechanisms to improve access, such as the Rapid Response Mechanism, jointly with UNICEF, the Government and partners, to access deep field areas in north-east Nigeria.

• In Nigeria, the October Cadre Harmonisé indicates an extremely worrisome situation in terms of food security, with a deterioration to be expected in the coming months. Around 4.4 million people are estimated to be food-insecure in Borno and Yobe States, 55,000 of which in extreme food insecurity (Phase 5) and 1.8 million in emergency situation (Phase 4).

• In Niger, results of the August Emergency Food Security Assessment in Diffa region, underline that the populations most affected by food insecurity are concentrated in Komadougou where households depend on pepper cultivations (Diffa, Chetimari, Gueskerou) in the receding water and fishing areas (Bosso, Nguigmi) and in pastoral areas (Ngourti). WFP thus plans to increase the number of people assisted in Chetimari and Gueskerou communes by 25,000 people, starting in November.

• In Cameroon, the September 2016 Emergency food security assessment (EFSA) reveals that food security remain at alarming levels, with close to 1.5 million people estimated to be food insecure in the region, including 180,000 severely food insecure.