Good household food stocks slow market demand and lead to declining prices
KEY MESSAGES
Unlike the case in previous years, cereal access through market purchase still accounted for only a small share of household food needs in March 2015 owing to the continued availability of household cereal stocks. This is reflected in the low market demand and sustained downward trend in cereal prices.
Most households were able to meet their food needs in March 2015, except in certain localized areas of the Tillabéri, Tahoua, and Zinder regions where they do not have the financial means to cover essential expenses. Households in the Diffa region are facing food deficits as a result of the ongoing conflict, which is disrupting deliveries of humanitarian assistance to that area.
There will be growing numbers of food-insecure areas between April and June with the deterioration in conditions in certain other parts of the Zinder region, expanding the size of the area subject to Stressed (IPC Phase 2) levels of food insecurity. There will be an escalation in food insecurity levels in the Diffa region, producing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) conditions in pastoral areas and localized farming and agropastoral areas.
