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Burkina Faso

Sahel Crisis Crescendos: 18 Million People Now Face Life-Threatening Food Shortages

When a crisis as complicated and deep-rooted as the one in Africa’s Sahel region hits, getting a sense of the size and scope of it can be daunting. That’s why we want to share the latest information on what’s going on at the country and regional levels.

Fighting Turns Food Crisis Into Humanitarian Catastrophe: What We Can Do

The text below is an excerpt from a blog post that is part of a series organized by The Huffington Post and the NGO alliance InterAction to call attention to the crisis in the Sahel, a region in sub-Saharan Africa where more than 18 million people face starvation and 1.1 million children under the age of 5 are at risk of dying from acute malnutrition.

U.S. increases food assistance to Africa’s Sahel region

"A protracted drought in the Sahel region of Africa is causing a food crisis that could leave up to 17 million people, and 1 million children, hungry this summer. In response, the U.S. Agency for International Development will provide $81 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the region, the agency announced Thursday...Millions are threatened by famine this year in Sahel, according to the NGO Action Against Hunger." 

Millions in the Sahel Face Food Crisis without Increased Funding

A huge gap in funding for aid projects aimed at preventing the deepening food crisis in the Sahel is threatening to leave millions of people hungry in the coming months, a coalition of aid agencies has warned today.

Sahel food crisis has been made worse by the widespread unrest in Africa

"In Mali the strain of fighting Gadaffi-armed Tuareg rebels in the north has prompted a political crisis, leading directly to a military coup and prompting an exodus from besieged villages, exacerbating food shortages. Of the families fleeing the violence, 20% have at least one child suffering from severe acute malnutrition, according to Action Against Hunger (AAH). 'These are families who have had to hastily flee the violence and they don't have access to basic products like clothing, blankets or cooking utensils.

Children dying in Chad as Sahel crisis bites

"Children in western Chad have started dying from malnutrition as a major hunger crisis threatening West Africa begins to take hold, an international charity has warned. Child malnutrition rates have soared in the region of Kanem, which is now in the grip of a full blown emergency, Action Contre La Faim (ACF) said...More than 2,000 children in Kanem were admitted to nutrition treatment centres in February alone, triple the number treated in December, according to ACF.

Malnutrition on the rise: Kanem region of Chad enters food emergency

"More than 2,000 malnourished children were admitted to Action Against Hunger | ACF International’s nutritional centres in Kanem in February alone, which is more than three times the number treated in the same month last year.

Cash Transfers a Successful Antidote to Sahel Emergency

Although it may seem counter-intuitive in the context of a humanitarian emergency, money can be one of the most effective mediums for saving lives during emergencies such as that unfolding across the Sahel—a crisis in which three million children are expected to become severely malnourished in the coming months.

Famine Stalks the Sahel

“Light rains, poor harvests and overpriced food will combine to create a severe famine for five Sahel countries if urgent, large-scale measures are not taken, experts warn.

“‘What is undertaken today will determine whether a new major food crisis will occur’ in the region, said Vincent Taillandier, an official of Action Against Hunger.

“‘But it’s the cumulative effect of the current situation, less than two years after the last big food crisis, which presages the worst crisis since 2005.’”

Beyond Any Drought

Commissioned by the Sahel Working Group—a network of high-profile international agencies including Oxfam, the British Red Cross, CARE International, Save the Children, and Action Against Hunger | ACF International—this report examines how vulnerability is understood and addressed in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

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About Action Against Hunger | ACF International

Action Against Hunger is internationally recognized as a leader in the fight against global malnutrition. Action Against Hunger works to save the lives of malnourished children while providing communities with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. With over 30 years of expertise in emergency situations of conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity, Action Against Hunger runs life-saving programs in some 40 countries benefiting 5 million people each year.

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Facts about Hunger

925 million people suffer from hunger and malnutrition around the world. 

Malnutrition affects 32.5% of children in developing countries.

1 out of every 6 infants are born with low birth weight due to undernutrition among pregnant women in developing countries.

1 out of every 3 people in developing countries are affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Hunger is number one on the list of the world's top 10 health risks. It kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

(Sources)