Famine Early Warning Systems Network

In the northeast of Nigeria, the continuing improvement of security conditions favor the return of displaced persons and refugees. However, despite the considerable increase in humanitarian aid, it is not enough to satisfy the needs of much of the affected population, who are distributed in the areas facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and Crisis (IPC Phase 3) acute food insecurity, with elevated levels of acute malnutrition and mortality. Less accessible zones, particularly in Borno State, are facing similar or worse conditions, in addition to elevated risk of Famine (IPC Phase 5) in 2017. 

In most parts of the region, prices for staples foods have reached their seasonal high as a result of depleted household stocks and the increased demand in markets. However, most parts of West Africa will remain in Minimal (IPC Phase 1) until September 2017, thanks to above-average 2016/17 agricultural production, sufficient imports of rice and wheat, well stocked markets, and the implementation of usual coping strategies. 

In the north of Mali and in the Lake Chad Basin, civil insecurity continues to disturb the normal functioning of markets. Additionally, the depreciation of the Naira continues to maintain high prices for goods in Nigeria and limits opportunities for livestock and cash crop sales from Sahelian countries to Nigeria. However, the depreciation remains favorable for Nigerian producers for local sales of their vegetables and livestock at the national and regional level. 

Stressed (IPC Phase 2) food insecurity is observed in the west and east of the agropastoral zone of Mauritania, due to poor agricultural production and high livestock sales; in Mali in the north, western Sahel, riverine areas of Gao and Timbuktu, and parts of the Niger Delta; in Niger in the pastoral zone and some agropastoral zones; and in the Sahel of Burkina Faso due to poor harvests, pastoral production deficits, and the general decrease in demand for livestock in Niger and Burkina Faso. 

Crisis (IPC Phase 3) could be observed in the Diffa region on Niger and in the Lake Chad region where the security crisis continue to disrupt main livelihoods and the normal functioning of markets which are experiencing significant increases in food prices. In Chad, the gradual resumption of trade with Libya following the opening of the border is contributing to improved food security conditions in the region of Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti (BET) and Bahr El Gazal (BEG), and will assist in bringing areas currently in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) to Stressed (IPC Phase 2).