The World Food Program (WFP) is sounding the alarm about rising food prices in West Africa, a region already weakened by conflict. It could drive more than 31 million people to food insecurity as the lean season approaches.
In West and Central Africa, WFP is calling avoid a “food disaster”. More than 31 million people in the region are expected to become food safe in the region, a figure more than 30% higher than last year. And according to WFP, this figure represents the highest level in almost ten years.
On average, the increase in food produced amounts to 39%, but in some areas prices have risen more than 200% according to the UN program for agriculture and food.
The Covid-19 pandemic is one of the factors in this increase
Obviously, the Covid-19 epidemic and in particular the measures taken to limit it are one of the main factors in this outbreak. “Borders are still closed between countries, in many cases,” explains Ollo Sib, adviser. Regional WFP (based in Dakar), accompanied by Aabla Jounaïdi of the financial service. All these restrictive measures have also led to a slowdown in trade and a slowdown in the flow of food products, ”in order to supply the markets.
The exchange between production and consumption areas is slowed down or blocked.
Another problem that explains the rise in prices, the retention of goods. “It has also been observed in the region that in view of the uncertainty associated with the health crisis market players who can be either producers or traders. Also warehousing, Ollo Sib continues. All this of course drives the price increase overall, especially for wheat and rice. These two products are consumed to a large extent in our region and we import them mainly ”.
Food insecurity has reached a new peak, stated the Sahel Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA). This is again worrying for the region.
A few days ago, during a virtual meeting, the RPCA (Food Crisis Prevention Network) in the Sahel, which took stock of the food security situation in the sub-region concerned about the risks of scarcityfor the so-called “lean” summer time.
