Do you know that over 20 million people in the Sahel are at high risk of food insecurity?
According to the European commission Echo Fact sheet (EU, May 2015 read here), about 20 million people in the Sahel region are at risk of food insecurity, 4.5 million are in need of emergency food assistance, 5.8 million children are estimated to be at risk of severe malnourishment and at least 2.8 million are displaced by the effects of the crisis.
The Sahel is characterized by a hot, sunny, dry climate. Over the years, there have been irregular rainfalls and strong climatic variations which have led to many environmental crisis in the region.
Regions within the Sahel of West Africa are Northern Senegal, Southern Mauritania, Central Mali, Northern Burkina Faso, Extreme South of Algeria, Central Chad, Central and Southern Sudan, Niger, Northern Eritrea and Northern Nigeria.
In the past few decades, there have been periodic occurrences of food shortage due to poor harvests which resulted from extremely dry pastures.
Although the effect previously was felt only in some countries within the region, sadly history has recurrently repeated itself and the crisis is now more spread across the region.
These days, when the Sahel is mentioned, it is usually because of the periodic drought, food crisis and other effects of poor nutrition that go hand in hand with food shortage.
The crisis has brought with it low running of the available food stocks, high price of food items, food insecurity and an alarmingly increasing level of malnutrition. (Oxham, 2012)
Although the effect previously was felt only in some countries within the region, sadly history has recurrently repeated itself and the crisis is now more spread across the region.
These days, when the Sahel is mentioned, it is usually because of the periodic drought, food crisis and other effects of poor nutrition that go hand in hand with food shortage.
The crisis has brought with it low running of the available food stocks, high price of food items, food insecurity and an alarmingly increasing level of malnutrition. (Oxham, 2012)
The major cause of the crisis in this region is the unfavorable climate that leads to poor performance of the crops and even livestock.
Apart from the seemingly obvious reasons, the guardian in year 2012 reported that the Sahel food crisis has been made worse by the widespread unrest in Africa as the rate of people’s migration from the fair and favorable regions to the badly affected ones for safety is high.
Some houses and farmlands have also been affected by these activities and these have resulted in serious negative economic implications for the migrating populace and environmental degradation to the affected land.
The recurrence of this crisis has been compounded by already existing conditions, pest infestation and economic and regional instability that has left many people homeless and unstable.
Apart from the seemingly obvious reasons, the guardian in year 2012 reported that the Sahel food crisis has been made worse by the widespread unrest in Africa as the rate of people’s migration from the fair and favorable regions to the badly affected ones for safety is high.
Some houses and farmlands have also been affected by these activities and these have resulted in serious negative economic implications for the migrating populace and environmental degradation to the affected land.
The recurrence of this crisis has been compounded by already existing conditions, pest infestation and economic and regional instability that has left many people homeless and unstable.
According to the European Union's report on food crisis in the Sahel (echo fact) there have been some help in the form of funding, food assistance, nutrition care and management, outreach and commission for the people in the Sahel (EU, May 2015).
There is also help coming from the UN, help groups and other countries which gradually is abating the effect of this crisis.
Sadly, the fact remains that things may not get better in the Sahel region except the root causes of this recurrent crisis are addressed.
There is also help coming from the UN, help groups and other countries which gradually is abating the effect of this crisis.
Sadly, the fact remains that things may not get better in the Sahel region except the root causes of this recurrent crisis are addressed.
There is hope for the Sahel as more and more organizations and groups are getting involved in reducing the causes of food crisis. Beyond the emergency relief, efforts are being channeled to bring a lasting solution to the region.There are plans to harness the untapped resources around the Sahel and invest heavily on irrigation and other lasting solutions.
The European Commission has created a global alliance and strength resilience in West Africa which has set for itself a ‘zero hunger goal’ by 2032 (EU, May 2015).
Work is being done and we hope that gradually the Sahel finally experiences lasting food security and stability.
Written by: Paul Ozioma
The European Commission has created a global alliance and strength resilience in West Africa which has set for itself a ‘zero hunger goal’ by 2032 (EU, May 2015).
Work is being done and we hope that gradually the Sahel finally experiences lasting food security and stability.
Written by: Paul Ozioma
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