DAKAR, Senegal — The situation regarding food insecurity has worsened in West and Central Africa, where over 40 million individuals are currently facing challenges to meet their basic nutritional needs. This alarming figure is projected to increase to 52 million by mid-2024, according to a recent report released by the United Nations food agency, the World Food Program (WFP).

As detailed in the report, an estimated 3.4 million people in the region are currently experiencing “emergency levels of hunger,” marking a significant rise of 70% since this past summer. The report attributes this crisis largely to factors such as persistent conflict, displacement of populations, economic instability, and severe climate-related events.

The ongoing turmoil in the Sahel region and the civil conflict in Sudan have resulted in the displacement of over 10 million individuals, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Furthermore, devastating flooding earlier this year, particularly in Nigeria and Chad, has further intensified the dire situation.

Despite the overall troubling statistics, this year’s report shows an improvement compared to last year, with the number of food-insecure individuals reduced by 7.7 million. The WFP credits this decrease to better-than-average rainfall and some marginal security gains; however, such positive trends appear unlikely to continue for an extended period.

As food insecurity looms, projections indicate that nearly one in ten individuals in West and Central Africa will be affected in the coming year. The World Bank estimates that this region is home to more than half a billion people, emphasizing the scale of the crisis.

Margot van der Velden, who serves as WFP’s regional director for Western Africa, expressed the urgent need to break the “vicious cycle of hunger.” She emphasized that achieving this requires enhanced planning and preparedness measures. “To effectively assist those in crisis, we need timely, flexible, and reliable funding,” stated Van der Velden. She also highlighted the importance of substantial investments aimed at preparedness, anticipatory actions, and building resilience within communities to decrease reliance on humanitarian aid.