17 August 2018: In a joint visit to Niger, the heads of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) pledged to redouble efforts to link interventions addressing food insecurity and long-term resilience to tackle the Sahel region’s critical humanitarian and security situation.
The UN estimates that nearly six million people in the Sahel region were “severely food insecure” in the critical dry season between June and August 2018, with almost half of those affected being pastoralists or agropastoralists. Up to 1.6 million children were expected to experience severe acute malnutrition as a result. The rapidly growing population in the region, which is expected to double to close to 300 million by 2050, coupled with changing weather patterns, are expected to place even greater pressure on already scarce natural resources, exacerbating conflict between pastoralists and farmers and forcing more people to abandon rural areas.
The UN estimates that nearly six million people in the Sahel region were “severely food insecure” in the critical dry season between June and August 2018.
The four-day visit was organized under the auspices of the UN system-wide support to the Sahel, with the aim of “closing the gap” between humanitarian and long-term development assistance. Noting the importance of treating every humanitarian challenge as an opportunity to help develop economies and increase stability, WFP Executive Director David Beasley lauded the joint efforts by the three agencies and their national partners aimed at addressing structural poverty and underdevelopment. He highlighted the related impacts of extreme weather events and migration, concluding that there are signs this approach is “paying off.”
The UN chiefs also drew attention to community and government-led initiatives to reduce poverty and boost resilience to food crises, such as Les Nigériens nourissent les Nigériens (Nigeriens feeding Nigeriens), which is backed by the three agencies and other partners. The initiative aims to promote a range of integrated interventions, including strengthening local capacity through the introduction of better farming and herding practices, improving road infrastructure, and enhancing access to health and nutritional services for local communities. [IFAD Press Release] [FAO Press Release] [WFP Press Release]