Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum warned Wednesday of a "difficult lean season" in West Africa and the Sahel. Bazoum was speaking at an international conference: "food and nutrition crises in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions: act now and better mobilize in the future in the Sahel and West Africa."
The conference was organized by the Sahel and West Africa Club, the European Union and the Global Food Crisis Network.
"In the Sahel and West Africa, the 2021 rainy season was marked by periods of drought lasting 10 to 15 days in June and July. They negatively impacted crop development in many parts of the region (Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Mali). Abrupt cessation of rainfall and pest infestations at the end of August and beginning of September compromised harvests," explained President Mohamed Bazoum.
"In the insecure areas the inaccessibility of the fields and the destruction of the crops have worsened the situation," he added.
Because 2021 was also less productive than 2020, the Nigerien President warned that "the next lean season in West Africa and the Sahel will be difficult, with a dramatic increase in the number of people who will need emergency food and nutritional assistance.
Mohamed Bazoum insisted that "this situation is even worse because of the persistence of insecurity and armed conflicts that continue to cause massive movements of people in the region. Thus, as of October 31, 2021, more than two million displaced persons have been registered in the central Sahel and Liptako-Gourma and another 5.4 million in the Lake Chad basin.
"In Niger, it is estimated that 4.402 million people will be in danger of severe food insecurity," said Mohamed Bazoum, adding that in Mali, "7.5 million people, or a third of the population, need humanitarian assistance.
Faced with the situation, Mohamed Bazoum appealed "to the Sahelian and West African countries, to our sub-regional organizations (WAEMU, ECOWAS and CILSS) and to the international community to significantly and urgently increase their funding," stating that "there is an urgent need for resources to ensure a rapid and effective response that saves lives and protects the livelihoods of the most vulnerable, encompassing food, livelihoods, nutrition and health responses.
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