In the Central African Republic after the offensive, which at the beginning of the year was led by the rebel coalition of the Coalition for Change (CPC) and drove back to the gates of Bangui, the capital, now half the population is in food insecurity, a third more than last year.
as reported from Bangui, Carol Valade
In the Central African Republic, more than 70% of the population live and depend on agriculture for their livelihood in rural areas according to the FAO. With the security crisis, most farmers could not work in the fields this year. We are currently in the middle of the lean season, last year’s resources are depleted, the next harvest will be very poor and famine threatens. Humanitarian workers from the World Food Program (WFP) and the FAO sound the alarm and organize the distribution of seeds and food to the population.
In the courtyard of the town hall in the 7th district, bags of seeds unloaded from the trucks go from hand to hand. Dozens of people are waiting patiently. Arlette Alègnè wears a yellow vest and counts: “These bags contain rice, squash, corn, beans and the tools to grow with them.”
Lack
The rainy season has already begun, with only a few weeks left to plant. “Even though we are in a factory, it is an agricultural district,” explains Joseph Tagbaley, mayor of the 7th arrondissement. Many crises, it assumes that there were not enough crops, many seeds are missing. So the position does not flourish. ”
The Rebel offensive blocked the livelihoods and access to the fields for the farmers. Desiré Arsène Fedivo from the NGO Groupement des femmes agro-pastorales (Groufepa) asks the question: “The majority of the population, who live on agricultural products, if they do not have time to go to the fields, fish, cultivate, what should they eat at home?”
The country therefore suffers from shortages and a price increase as 70% of the food is imported. The situation is much more dramatic in the interior of the country, where there are 730,000 displaced people. Humanitarian workers are trying to come to their aid, but access is still very difficult.
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