At least 50 million people in west and central Africa are facing the risk of hunger due to conflict,displacement,economic hardship,and repeated extreme weather,the World Food Program warned.
“More than 36 million are struggling to meet their basic food needs,which is projected to rise to over 52 million during the lean season from June to August,” WFP said in a recent report.
Despite the needs being historical high,resources are diminishing,it said.
“Without immediate funding,WFP will be forced to scale down even further both in the number of people reached and the size of food rations distributed,” WFP said in the report posted on its website.
The situation has sharply deteriorated compared to 2019,when only four per cent of the population was food insecure compared to 30 per cent today,it said.
In places such as northern Mali,people are facing catastrophic food security conditions,according to WFP.
Conflict has exacerbated the hunger risk,as continued fighting has displaced more than 10 million of the most vulnerable people across the region,including more than two million refugees and asylum seekers,in Chad,Cameroon,Mauritania and Niger,it said.
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