West Africa Food Crisis

rregular rains in 2009 have led to a severe lack of pasture, water and a poor harvest. The worst affected country is Niger where 7.1 million people are at risk. Some 2 million people are threatened in Chad and a substantial number of people are expected to be affected in Mali in the coming months. Parts of Nigeria and Burkina Faso are also at risk.

In Niger, the harvest has fallen by 26% as compared with the previous year, and some areas, especially the Diffa in the east of country and Tillabéry to the west, have had no harvest at all. In Chad, harvests have fallen by 34%. The areas of Hadjer Lamis, Batha, Kanem, Guera regions and eastern Chad are expected to be hit hard, especially from June 2010. Overall, the harvest in the Sahel has decreased by 9% with great disparities between East and West Sahel.