MALI-NIGER: Good early warning, slow response

"AP has also teamed up with NGO Action Against Hunger (ACF) to set up software to take satellite photographs that identify different types of biomass, enabling people to see how much vegetation is growing in specific areas. ACF head in Mali David Kerespars told IRIN: 'The early warning system has undeniably helped provide relevant information which has given us an idea of the vulnerabilities in Mali this year. This information has been used by the Food Security Commission to target and calibrate its response.'"