Skip to main content
European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

Scaling up the EU’s response to soaring hunger in West Africa

In West Africa, hunger has reached a sad new record. For the 3rd consecutive year, the Sahel and Lake Chad regions are facing food and nutrition crises of exceptional proportions, affecting up to 38.3 million people.

The multiple conflicts devastating the region have driven millions from their homes and pushed food insecurity as populations abandon their homes to escape violent attacks, leaving vital crops and herds.

The crisis is worsening, also due to the global rise in food prices sparked by COVID-19 restrictions on trade.

As the United Nations reminded the world last April, “the war in Ukraine, in all its dimensions, is producing alarming cascading effects on a world economy already battered by COVID-19 and climate change, with particularly dramatic impacts on developing countries”.

Therefore, the European Union pledged €554 million on 6 April to increase food security in the Sahel and Lake Chad countries. This funding will also address the root causes of hunger in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Nigeria.

Aerial view of cows and shepherd
Attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and conflict between state and non-state armed groups have led to massive population displacements across the West Africa region, sparking unprecedented hunger.
© European Union, 2022 (photographer: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)
A camel lying on the ground while children mount sacks with food on it
In Chad, some 6.1 million people require humanitarian assistance – roughly 36% of the population in 2022. This is due to climate change and violent conflict.
© European Union, 2022 (photographer: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)
2 men carrying a bag with food in a distribution centre
The EU is one of the main humanitarian aid donors in Chad. In 2022, the EU is providing €37.7 million in humanitarian aid to respond to the basic needs of internally displaced people, refugees and resident communities affected by multiple crises.
© European Union, 2022 (photographer: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)
Woman carrying 2 bags of food on top of her head
EU humanitarian funding has addressed the rising humanitarian needs triggered by conflict in the Lake Chad region. We have helped provided food and nutrition assistance, as well as health care and protection to communities in need.
© European Union, 2022 (photographer: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)
Interior view of women at a paediatric unit
The food crisis is also an undernutrition crisis, affecting children under 5 years old. The EU supports numerous health care centers, such as in Brakna, Mauritania, where nurse Hanirou Mohamed leads an awareness session for mothers at the paediatric unit.
© Seyba Keita / ALIMA. All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Nurse and doctor weighing a child, hanging in a basket.
According to our partner the World Food Program, 6 million children in the Sahel suffer from malnutrition. Under-nutrition is a widespread health problem throughout the region.
© Seyba Keita / ALIMA. All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Mother with child on her lap while a nurse measures the arm width of the child. A doctor standing behind them.
Mothers are also trained in targeted communities to screen their children through MUAC measurement (measuring the mid-upper arm circumference). This helps them identify early signs of malnutrition and reinforce their role in protecting children’s health.
© Seyba Keita / ALIMA. All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Doctor standing in front of open doors in a health ward
Severe acute undernutrition causes a high risk of death, but it is preventable and curable. The EU addresses acute malnutrition through the assessing nutritional status of children, treating acute malnutrition, and preventing all forms of malnutrition.
© Seyba Keita / ALIMA. All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.

Story by Seyba Keita / ALIMA.
Publication date: 07/09/2022