Central African Republic and Burkina Faso face acute food insecurity

Millions are facing acute food insecurity in Central African Republic and Burkina Faso, following combined effects of social economic impacts of coronavirus pandemic, ongoing conflicts, recurrent climate shocks and rising food prices that have hit the two countries hard.

In Central African Republic, nearly half of the population is suffering from high and surging acute food insecurity even as the country braces for harsh May-August lean season, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme.

The lean season, occurring in May-August, coincides with the main crop and vegetable growing season, and it's the period when food is typically scarce in the country, before the harvest comes in.

An analysis released on Wednesday by Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a multi-agency initiative globally led by 10 partners, indicated that over 2.2 million people in Central African Republic, most of them living in rural areas, face severe levels of acute food insecurity between April and August.

The study also found that over 1.6 million people in the country are in a crisis situation, meaning, they may skip meals entirely or sell what little they own to buy food.

Additionally, more than 630,000 people are in an emergency situation, meaning, they may sell their last animal or last source of livelihood, pull their children out of school, or resort to begging.

"The people of the Central African Republic have been bearing the brunt of conflict for a decade, and food insecurity has been on the rise for the past years. Yet, never before has the food insecurity outlook been so dire," Perpetua Katepa-Kalala, FAO representative in the Central African Republic, said in a statement published on Wednesday.

The food insecurity situation has been heightened by impacts of renewed violence last December that occurred on the fringes of the presidential and legislative elections.

The violence sparked active fighting that spread across the country. The main transport corridors were cut off, blockading the capital Bangui and cutting off vital supply routes in the landlocked country, driving thousands from their homes.

Aline Rumonge, the WFP deputy country director in Central African Republic, said the vicious cycle of conflict and hunger in the country should be broken.

"Never before have we seen so many people pushed right to the edge of survival - more than half a million people are one step away from famine. We urgently need to act now to save lives before it's too late," Rumonge said.

FAO needs $31.5 million to assist 970,000 vulnerable people in 2021 with life-saving support, while WFP needs $54.9 million through September 2021 to continue providing food and nutrition assistance to almost a million crisis-affected people in the country.

In Bukina Faso, 2.9 million are expected to face a stage of crisis during the lean season, according to the World Food Programme.

The UN agency said malnutrition situation has substantially deteriorated among children and pregnant or breastfeeding women in the country.

"The number of children suffering from malnutrition is likely to reach an alarming level during the lean season and as health centers in certain areas are expected to close or provide minimum services due to rising insecurity," the UN agency said in a statement.

Burkina Faso is facing one of the world's fastest-growing displacement crisis and increasing humanitarian needs with over 2 million people unable to adequately cover for their overall food and nutritional needs, the agency said.