Recurrent shocks (droughts and floods), poor infrastructure and inadequate social safety nets continue to increase the overall, chronic vulnerability and to erode resilience of households and communities, many of which adopt poor coping strategies.
The late and poor rainy season, coupled with an increase in food prices, had a direct and negative impact on 2014/2015 agricultural production, with a 40% decrease in the cereal production compared to 2013/2014, and 45% compared to the average past five years.
The Ebola outbreak in the region, besides having a direct impact on food security caused by the temporary closure of markets and borders, highlighted the poor access to basic services and the lack of medical equipment and drugs in the country, that require a serious effort to strengthen the health system in order to avoid the risk of spread of ebola and other epidemics (cholera, malaria, diarrhea, etc.).
