A field of withered crops in the Mali’s Kayes region. Drought has ruined food supplies in the Sahel region of Africa, which includes the countries of Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Senegal, and Chad. Daouda Guirou / WFP

NIAMEY, Niger, 28 January 2012 (UPI) – An estimated 10 million people across Africa’s arid Sahel region are feeling the effects of drought, humanitarian agencies say. A survey by the U.N. Children’s Fund estimated there will be 1 million cases of severe malnutrition caused by the drought, with between 25 percent and 60 percent of those people likely to die without emergency assistance, the Los Angeles Times reported. UNICEF plans to feed 1 million people in the Sahel, most of whom reside in Niger, the hardest-hit country, but have yet to raise the funds needed. “We want to deal with a million [acute malnutrition] cases to prevent as many deaths as possible,” David Gressly, UNICEF’s West Africa director, said Thursday. “We need to look at this both in terms of the medium-term and long-term responses to turn this situation around.” Niger is still recovering from droughts in 2005 and 2010. “The cycles are getting closer together, and that’s a concern because households don’t have time to recover from the previous crisis,” Gressly said. “Mortality rates might be higher, simply because households have been under stress for so long.” The other countries affected are Chad, Mali, Mauritania, northern Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso. Gressly said UNICEF is determined not to let the drought deteriorate into famine, which happened in Somalia more than a year ago, resulting in a high death rate. “The difference is we are acting much more quickly this time,” he said. “I think everyone has learned from the Horn of Africa and are taking the early indicators much more seriously.”

10 million face drought in the Sahel School feeding in Mali is vital especially at a time of drought crisis. Cornelia Walther / WFP

By William Lambers
13 February 2012 Almost nine million people urgently need food assistance in the Sahel region of Africa following a severe drought. And time is running out to prevent a massive humanitarian disaster. Josette Sheeran, the director of UN World Food Programme, says, “The needs of the millions affected by drought in the Sahel are enormous, and the time to act is now.” Mali is one of the countries caught in the crisis. Mali is not only contending with drought but also conflict in the North between a rebel group and the government. The fighting is creating additional displacement and hunger. WFP runs school feeding in Mali to save children from hunger and malnutrition and keep them in class. But will there be enough support to keep the program going during this food crisis? WFP depends on voluntary donations to fight hunger around the globe. Aboubacar S. Guindo, a WFP school feeding officer, talks about where Mali’s program stands now as we head into critical months of this hunger emergency. How many children are receiving WFP school meals in Mali? Is this a breakfast or lunch ration? Actually, we are feeding 156,666 kids in 729 schools in the country. They do receive hot meals generally served at midday. In addition to that, the Government undertook under the national budget to cover an additional 651 schools (117.000 children) who are also benefiting from hot meals. Are these schools in the areas affected by the drought conditions? Yes, most of the schools are based in the area affected by the drought that results in communities’ increasing vulnerability. The government through the Early Warning System identified 159 communities that are the most affected by this crisis. To respond to this, WFP elaborated an Emergency Operation (EMOP) with a School Feeding component to avoid important drop-outs that schools used to face in this type of crisis. The EMOP will also include nutrition, food for work, and cash components. In the affected communes all the assisted schools from both government and WFP programs will receive a complimentary meal made of enriched cereals (supercereal) as breakfast. We are planning to assist 150,000 kids under this initiative. […] Does WFP have enough resources to continue providing the school meals? Funding is the biggest challenge. We have been obliged last year to reduce the numbers of meals in the northern region due to reductions in funding. In addition to food insecurity, WFP is assessing the needs of the internally displaced due to conflict in the north. This assessment may show in an increase in needs. […]

Sahel Food Crisis: An Interview with Aboubacar Guindo of WFP in Mali