The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) brought the reality of climate change nearer home, saying that the number of people facing food insecurity in West Africa had risen to 50 million.
At the LCBGF panel discussion, FAO Country Representative, Kofi Dominic, said the figure indicated a sharp increase of 35 million in just five years.
The envoy, therefore, called for an urgent intervention to prevent deterioration of the region’s food crisis.
“In 2020, there were 15 million people in food insecurity across West Africa. Today, that number has surged to 50 million despite all efforts in agriculture, livestock, and food distribution,” Dominic said.
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He attributed the crisis to three major factors: conflict, climate change, and economic shocks, which had severely disrupted food production and supply chains across the region.
“Last year alone, 15 countries in West and Central Africa experienced devastating floods, affecting nearly seven million people.
“In Nigeria, floods destroyed 850,000 metric tons of food — enough to feed eight million people for six months,” the envoy said.