The risk of food insecurity hangs over the populations of the Sahel, Sudan and Haiti. These territories, placed on high alert, now require attention “urgent” from the international community, warned the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Monday, May 29, in a report published jointly with the World Food Program (WFP).
“Haiti, the Sahel (Burkina Faso and Mali) and Sudan have been raised to the highest levels of concern” in terms of feeding populations, write the FAO and the WFP. “This is due to the severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods in Haiti, Burkina Faso and Mali, as well as the recent outbreak of conflict in Sudan”they explain.
The war in Sudan, which broke out in April between the army chief and his rival, is likely to “have significant ramifications for its neighboring countries”warns the report.
Thus, in addition to Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, already concerned by the maximum alert, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Mali as well as Sudan require “the most urgent attention”.
Part of their population is exposed to famine or at risk of suffering from it, a situation corresponding to the highest level according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), known as ” disaster ” (stage 5). Another part of the population is concerned by a risk of deterioration leading to catastrophic conditions, because it is already in an emergency situation (phase 4).
Concern around regions weakened by El Niño
The report focuses on a total of eighteen “hot spots” hunger in the world, comprising twenty-two countries, and attempts to establish a six-month outlook.
The organizations are also worried about regions already weakened by the probable return of the El Niño climatic phenomenon, which would have an 82% chance of forming during the period from May to July, according to a study cited by the report. El Niño is generally associated with rising temperatures, increased drought in some parts of the world, and heavy rains in others.
“This change in weather patterns may have significant implications for different regions of the world”and in particular for “several hunger hotspots”fear the FAO and the WFP.