Crisis of Hunger in West and Central Africa: Breaking the Vicious Cycle

Over 40 million people in West and Central Africa face severe food insecurity, with numbers expected to rise. A recent WFP report attributes this to factors like conflict and climate shocks. Despite a slight decrease from last year's estimates, significant challenges remain, requiring urgent intervention and long-term resilience strategies.

The United Nations' food agency has raised alarms about escalating hunger in West and Central Africa, where over 40 million people are struggling to feed themselves. By mid-next year, this figure is expected to reach 52 million, as outlined by the World Food Programme (WFP) in a recent report.

The report highlights that the region faces unprecedented food insecurity due to conflict, displacement, economic instability, and climate shocks. Ongoing conflicts in the Sahel and the Sudanese civil war have displaced over 10 million people. Additionally, floods in Nigeria and Chad have exacerbated the situation.

However, there's a silver lining with a reported decrease of 7.7 million people facing food insecurity compared to last year, attributed to better-than-average rainfall and slight security improvements. Yet, the WFP warns that these conditions are unlikely to persist, emphasizing the need for better planning and investment to break the vicious hunger cycle.

(With inputs from agencies.)