Hope James
The United Nations on Friday, revealed that Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso, are the countries with the highest hunger levels.
According to the UN, it is as a result of Islamist insurgencies that have displaced millions of people as noted by World Food Programme (WFP).
“In certain pockets, such as the department of Gorom-Gorom in northern Burkina Faso, 20% of the population is malnourished.
“The number of people struggling to get enough food in West and Central Africa is expected to rise to an all-time high of 48 million by mid-2023
“About 35 million people – or about 8% of the assessed population – are suffering from “food insecurity” across the region, according to analysis by an alliance of U.N. agencies.
“Many countries have been hit by a combination of conflict, climate change, and rising prices. Floods this year have been particularly bad in Chad and Nigeria.
“A large part of the food insecure areas are places where the security situation has continued to worsen, particularly since last year, and this has had an impact on the functioning of the market, livelihoods and access to basic social services,” Federico Doehnert, a regional adviser at WFP, said.
“Across Africa, from east to west, people are experiencing a food crisis that is bigger and more complex than the continent has ever seen, say diplomats and humanitarian workers.
“Conflict and climate change are the long-term causes, while heavy debt burdens following the Covid-19 pandemic, rising prices and war in Ukraine have exacerbated the situation.” The agency revealed.