West Africa Food Crisis

Early recognition of the coming crisis also provides an opportunity to avoid the mistakes of the past, enabling action months earlier than in previous crises. By investing now in earlier and more cost-effective actions, vulnerable populations can be protected from the worst impacts of the coming crisis at a much lower cost than if we waited.

The response should not stop at meeting emergency needs; it needs also to tackle the underlying causes of crises like this to prevent them recurring. By investing more in longer-term interventions to reduce the people’s vulnerability to external shocks, we can work to break the hunger cycle in the Sahel.

What Oxfam is doing

Oxfam is gearing up its work to address the immediate needs of the most vulnerable people. The agency is aiming to reach around 1 million people across six countries with life-saving humanitarian aid.

In Burkina Faso, the agency is working in over 80 villages where we identified the most vulnerable people and started cash for work programs, which involves communities engaging in preventive activities related to the changing environment. We also provide food for the cattle and small animals that pastoralist communities rely on for their livelihoods. Due to insecurity in Mali, Oxfam will also start a program targeting refugees in the north of the Burkina Faso. Overall, the agency will assist 100,000 people.

In Chad, where the lean period has started for the most vulnerable families, Oxfam is scaling up its programs in two of the most affected regions (Guera and Bahr El Gazal), targeting agro-pastoral and pastoralist communities.  The programs combine a long term approach with an emergency response to the food crisis. They include targeted food distribution, cash transfers and cash for work programs, agricultural support, animal health support (vaccination, distribution of food for animals, training of veterinaries), construction and rehabilitation of wells and public health promotion. Oxfam has been present in the country for over 45 years..

The deteriorating security situation in northern Mali has led to tens of thousands of people taking refuge in neighbouring countries. This is not affecting Oxfam programs around Gao, so the agency is continuing and even opening new programs elsewhere in the country. The city of Kayes in western Mali has been badly affected by the current food crisis and Oxfam will be doing direct cash transfers as well as activities which ensure access to food and water; overall Oxfam has set a target for Gao region to reach 100.000 individuals whereas in Kayes Oxfam aims at covering 250.000 beneficiaries. 

The north and western part of Mauritania is also affected by food insecurity and Oxfam has quickly adapted its long term programs to start humanitarian relief work. Oxfam started to work closely with some of the poorest families mainly around the Gorgol and Brakhna regions and will be reaching 70,000 people this year. Our work is largely supporting pastoralist communities with activities such as food for cattle, cash transfers and the rehabilitation of wells. The agency will also scale up its water and sanitation programs to prevent people contracting water-borne diseases. We have also started a ‘co-op’ vegetable gardens program for 1,300 women by pumping water from a river.

Niger is also going through a very serious food and pastoralist crisis with prices of basic goods reaching record levels. Oxfam and its experienced partners will be reaching some 450,000 people with projects that include cash voucher distribution to families most in need in Tillabery and Tahoua areas. Partners are also developing water/sanitation programs, restoring cereal banks and public building amongst other activities. Oxfam will also help the poorest “host” families that are opening their homes to refugees coming from Mali with direct aid. Earlier in the year, Oxfam also led a cash transfer program in the city of Dakoro and separately, some cash for work programs were launched in Madaoua and Doutchi regions in a total of 23 sites.

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