Nearly 55 million people in West and Central Africa are on the verge of famine.

United Nations agencies warn that nearly 55 million people in West and Central Africa will face severe famine in the coming months as prices soar, triggering a food crisis.

Refugees wait to receive food aid in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to Al Jazeera, in a joint statement on April 12, the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said that the number of people who will face hunger between June and August has quadrupled in the past five years.

The joint statement indicated that economic challenges such as double-digit inflation and stagnant domestic production have become the main causes of the food crisis, alongside renewed conflict tensions in the region. The region is heavily reliant on food imports, thus facing significant pressure, especially countries experiencing high inflation such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

The statement indicated that Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Mali would be among the hardest-hit countries. The situation is particularly worrying in northern Mali, where around 2,600 people could face catastrophic famine.

UN agencies say that over the past five years, prices for major grains have continued to rise across the region, increasing by 10% to over 100% above average.

"We need to act now. We need to step up cooperation to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control. We need to invest more in solutions that build resilience and longer-term prospects for West Africa's future," emphasized Margot Vandervelden, Acting Regional Director for West Africa at the WFP.

Food shortages also lead to alarmingly high rates of malnutrition among children.

These agencies stated that eight out of every ten children aged 6 to 23 months do not receive the minimum amount of food necessary for optimal growth and development.

The organization also stated that approximately 16.7 million children under the age of five in the region suffer from severe malnutrition, and more than two-thirds of families cannot afford a healthy diet.

UNICEF Regional Director Gilles Fagninou urged: “To ensure that children in the region reach their full potential, we need to ensure that every girl and boy receives adequate nutrition and care, lives in a healthy and safe environment, and has access to appropriate educational opportunities.”

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/gan-55-trieu-nguoi-dan-tay-va-trung-phi-sap-doi-mat-nan-doi-post382738.html