Stressed food insecurity related to conflict and unseasonable dryness persists in affected areas
KEY MESSAGES
Conflict in the northeast continues to disrupt markets and impact household farming and livelihood activities. This is slightly tempered between November and December by the combined impacts of the ongoing harvest and slight decline in food prices when households will face Stressed (IPC Phase 2) acute food insecurity. However, between January and March, households will revert to Crisis (IPC Phase 3) acute food insecurity.
The main harvest has been impacted by the prolonged dryness in central and southwest zones, where affected areas are taking in below-average harvests. Households that are still recovering from the effects of last year’s floods, particularly in Niger state, will face Stressed (IPC Phase 2) acute food insecurity through December.
The rest of the country has benefited from a favorable growing season, with national cereal and tuber production forecasts at 24.24 and 91 million tons, respectively. Most households not affected by the aforementioned conflict or dryness will also experience normal livelihood activities through Spring, and will experience Minimal (IPC Phase 1) acute food insecurity through March 2014.