The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has sounded the alarm on the escalating food crisis in West Africa. The international agency said that a staggering 50 million people now face food insecurity. This represents a sharp increase of 35 million in just five years, with the situation deteriorating rapidly.
According to FAO Country Representative Kofi Dominic, the crisis can be attributed to three major factors: conflict, climate change, and economic shocks. These disruptions have severely impacted food production and supply chains across the region. Dominic emphasised the urgent need for intervention to prevent further deterioration of the food crisis. “In 2020, there were 15 million people in food insecurity across West Africa. Today, that number has surged to 50 million despite all efforts in agriculture, livestock, and food distribution,” he said.
Dominic highlighted the devastating impact of climate change, citing the example of last year’s floods in West and Central Africa, which affected nearly seven million people. “In Nigeria, floods destroyed 850,000 metric tons of food — enough to feed eight million people for six months,” he noted.
The envoy’s warning came during the LCBGF panel discussion, where he called for immediate action to address the crisis. The FAO’s concerns echo the urgent need for regional cooperation and support to mitigate the effects of climate change, conflict, and economic shocks on food security in West Africa.
