Food security situation 'critical' in Lake Chad region

Due to ongoing extreme violence and continued displacements, the food security situation in the Lake Chad region remains critical.

The latest estimates indicate that across the Lake Chad region, a total of 5.6 million people are moderately or severely food insecure due to the ongoing insecurity and massive displacements into the border areas of Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Against this backdrop, WFP’s operations in the region continue through 2016, and operational response across the affected countries will be adapted to recent assessment findings and pressing needs in the respective countries.

A Pop-Up Hub has been established in N’Djamena, Chad, for operational surge support and coordination.

Situation Update

As extreme violence and tensions in northeast Nigeria continue, so do the displacements of populations into border countries. Village raids and attacks are not only destroying homes and livelihoods but also hampering the return of populations.

The most recent food security assessments have found that there are 4 million people who are moderate to severely food insecure in northeastern Nigeria, an increase compared to the previous analysis. Whilst there are 148,000 persons in Diffa (Niger), 116,000 persons in affected regions of Chad and 1.4 million persons in the worst-affected areas of Far North Cameroon who are considered moderately to severely food insecure.

The crisis has exacerbated the food insecurity of populations in countries which are already extremely vulnerable to shocks. All four affected countries are ranked among the last 20 percent of the recently published Human Development Report (2015).

Furthermore, assessments continue to show that people fleeing the escalating violence have left their productive assets behind, compromising their livelihoods and consequently disrupting agricultural production.

As traditional trade links remain disrupted, commercial activities that sustain local and regional economies are increasingly limited.