HIGHLIGHTS
Despite good harvest prospects and good conditions for pastoralists, the situation in the Sahel remains critical. Approximately 8.5 million people remain food insecure and over 1 million children at risk of severe acute malnutrition in 2013.
The humanitarian and security situation in Mali is deteriorating, due to the conflict in the northern part of the country, with serious repercussions on the region and beyond. An estimated 412 149 people have left their homes; 204 687 are internally displaced and 210 212 have crossed the borders to neighbouring countries, primarily Burkina Faso, Mauritania and the Niger.
In 2012, FAO requested USD 112 million for urgent action to improve the food and nutrition security of 7.8 million vulnerable people in the Sahel. USD 49.8 million have been received, enabling assisting almost 5 million beneficiaries by supporting food and livestock production, animal protection, water and soil conservation and rehabilitation. However, a USD 62.2 million funding gap has remained that hampered timely and adequate support for a large share of affected population.
An additional USD 10 million was requested to address the Desert Locust threat, the most serious since 2005, which is placing the livelihoods of 50 million people in the Sahel at risk. A funding gap of USD 1.8 million remains to continue control and monitoring operations.
Through the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) 2013, FAO is requesting USD 93.2 million for livelihood interventions in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and the Niger. Requirements for non-CAP Sahel countries (Senegal, The Gambia, Cameroon and Nigeria) are being estimated under the “Regional Chapeau” of the Sahel Strategy 2013, being formulated by humanitarian partners at the regional level.
An additional USD 24 million is estimated to address the consequences of the Malian conflict.
Repeated crisis (2005, 2010 and 2012) have eroded the copying strategies and livelihoods of the most vulnerable people. Time is of the essence for acting on resilience to address both the chronic and acute vulnerabilities in the region.