ECOWAS Sounds Alarm As 47 Million Face Imminent Food Crisis In West Africa – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

West Africa, which is already dealing with complex issues ranging from political instability to climate change, is facing a devastating food crisis of unprecedented magnitude. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued a stark warning this week, predicting that 47 million people will face food insecurity within the next three months. ROLAND OGBONNAYA writes.

The ECOWAS’s alarming prediction emphasises the urgent need for coordinat­ed action to mitigate the impending humanitarian disaster and address the underlying causes of the crisis.

The enormity of the potential cri­sis is terrifying. Imagine nearly half of the United Kingdom’s population struggling to find enough food daily. The consequences for the region’s stability, development, and human potential would be catastrophic, po­tentially fuelling additional conflict and displacement.

To grasp the gravity of the situa­tion, we must examine the complex web of interconnected factors that are contributing to the impending di­saster. According to one of the event’s observers, the region’s food security challenges are exacerbated by the erratic nature of weather patterns, which is increasingly attributed to climate change. West Africa is partic­ularly vulnerable to droughts, floods, and desertification, all of which have a direct impact on agricultural pro­duction.

Droughts devastate crops and live­stock, while floods destroy fertile top­soil and infrastructure. Desertifica­tion, particularly in the Sahel region, is reducing arable land availability, further limiting food production. These climate-related shocks are be­coming more common and severe, disrupting traditional farming prac­tices and putting communities on the verge of survival.

Political unrest and armed con­flicts in various parts of West Africa are exacerbating the food shortage. In countries such as Nigeria, insur­gencies, banditry, and inter-commu­nal violence disrupt agricultural activities, displacing populations and limiting markets. Farmers are frequently unable to plant or harvest their crops due to insecurity, and dis­placed communities rely heavily on humanitarian aid.

The conflict in the Lake Chad Basin, for example, has displaced millions of people and severely dis­rupted agricultural production, con­tributing significantly to the region’s food insecurity. The consequences of these conflicts go beyond immediate displacement, threatening long-term food security by disrupting supply chains and impeding agricultural development.

West Africa’s economic vulnera­bilities exacerbate the effects of cli­mate change and conflict on food se­curity. High poverty rates, combined with reliance on rain-fed agriculture, make communities particularly vul­nerable to economic shocks. The ris­ing cost of food, fuel, and fertilisers, caused by global market volatility and exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, is putting enormous strain on households.

Many families are struggling to afford basic necessities, forcing them to reduce their food consumption or take drastic measures. Inflation, combined with limited access to credit and other financial services, erodes vulnerable populations’ abil­ity to cope with rising living costs.

The absence of adequate infra­structure, such as storage facilities, transportation networks, and irriga­tion systems, exacerbates efforts to address the food crisis. Poor storage facilities cause significant post-har­vest losses, while inadequate trans­portation networks limit market access, especially for smallholder farmers.

Weak governance structures, marked by corruption, a lack of accountability, and ineffective agri­cultural policies, stymie efforts to improve food security. The inability to effectively manage natural re­sources, implement sustainable ag­ricultural practices, and address the effects of climate change exacerbates the region’s vulnerabilities.

ECOWAS issued an alert this week warning that approximately 47 million people in the region will face a food crisis between June and August 2025 if no action is taken to address the current food security situation. According to the organi­sation, 34.7 million people in the re­gion currently require immediate food and nutrition assistance.

Mrs. Massandjé Toure-Litse, ECOWAS Commissioner for Eco­nomic Affairs and Agriculture, made the announcement at the opening of the Regional Food Security Reserve (RFSR) Management Committee’s third meeting in Abuja.

Toure-Litse, who was represent­ed by Mr Mohammed Zongo, Acting Executive Director of ECOWAS Re­gional Agency for Agriculture and Food, emphasised the importance of strengthening the region’s immedi­ate response mechanisms while lay­ing the groundwork for long-term re­silience. She stated that the food and nutrition security situation in West Africa and the Sahel has deteriorated significantly in recent years.

The commissioner, while explain­ing that the nutritional crisis persists in several areas of the region, with global acute malnutrition rates ranging between 10 and 14%, stated that: “Analyses conducted in Decem­ber 2024, based on the Harmonised Framework, revealed that nearly 34.7 million people require immedi­ate food and nutrition assistance. If appropriate measures are not imple­mented, this figure could rise to 47 million by the lean season of June to August 2025.

“Furthermore, the nutritional crisis continues in several areas of our region, with global acute mal­nutrition rates ranging from 10% to 14%. Faced with this concerning situation, exacerbated by several challenges, including geopolitical reconfiguration of the region, per­sistent conflicts, economic crises, climate change, and chronic food in­security, our region must strengthen its immediate response mechanisms while laying the groundwork for sus­tainable resilience.

“Food security stocks appear to be key social protection tools, used at various scales—local, national, and regional—to respond effectively to food crises.”

Toure-Litse stated that the meet­ing “will allow us to take stock of the operations carried out by the Region­al Reserve since March 2023 based on the Executive Board’s guidelines, particularly in terms of purchases, interventions, stock replenishment, technical rotations, and the identifi­cation of new storage spaces.” It will also allow us to plan operations for 2025, ensuring that Member States can care for the populations most affected by the food, nutritional, and pastoral crises.

“Our discussions and decisions will ensure the Reserve’s manage­ment is transparent, efficient, and fair, while also adapting to current and future challenges. As you are aware, for nearly ten years, our ac­tions have been part of the regional storage strategy. We learnt a lot by comparing the theory of the regional storage strategy to its practical appli­cation on the ground.

“We are also confronted with new challenges as the sociopolitical land­scape in our region and around the world shifts. This is why we must ad­just this strategy and the Regional Reserve’s operating rules to improve the coordination and effectiveness of our collective action.”

Senator Abubakar Kyari, Nige­ria’s Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, stated that the food challenge serves as a reminder of the urgent need to strengthen strat­egies and response instruments to effectively address the region’s food and nutrition crisis.

Kyari, who was represented by Mr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, emphasised that the food reserve has become a critical component of the region’s collective strategy for responding to the food and nutrition crisis.

He stated, “This meeting is taking place at a particularly worrying time for our region; it is common knowl­edge globally, particularly in West Africa and the Sahel, that the food security situation has deteriorated in recent years as a result of conflicts, economic insecurity, and the devas­tating impact of climate change.” A situation exacerbated by a drop in funding, geopolitical concerns in the region, and a general lack of food availability. According to the most recent cadre Harmonise report (December 2024), nearly 34.7 million people require immediate food and nutritional assistance.

“These major challenges highlight the urgent need to strengthen our strategies and response instruments to effectively address the food and nutrition crisis affecting our region. They also highlight the growing need for sovereign financing of our agri­culture in general, as well as our food crisis response mechanisms.

“This, therefore, calls for a de­liberate concerted effort to address food production, strategic food stor­age, markets, and price volatility, as well as re-strategizing of the regional body, particularly in the administra­tion and management of the region­al food security reserve.”

The Regional Food Security Re­serve, established in 2013 by ECOW­AS Heads of State and Govern­ment, assists the region’s member countries, Chad and Mauritania, in managing food crises. Its goals are to supplement Member States’ efforts by providing rapid, diverse, and tai­lored food assistance to populations in crisis; express regional solidarity with member States and populations through transparent mechanisms; and strengthen food sovereignty and regional integration.

Since its inception, the reserve has made significant progress, and it now has a projected capital of more than 74,000 tonnes of food stored in various areas of our region, ready to be deployed quickly if necessary.

Addressing the looming food crisis requires a multifaceted ap­proach that addresses the root causes while mitigating the imme­diate consequences, such as invest­ing in climate-smart agriculture, drought-resistant crops, and im­proved irrigation systems. Promot­ing sustainable land management and reforestation can also help to combat desertification and improve soil fertility.

Addressing the root causes of con­flict requires inclusive governance, dialogue, and reconciliation to create a stable environment for food produc­tion and distribution. Improving se­curity measures to protect farmers and humanitarian workers is also critical.

Promoting economic diversi­fication and creating alternative livelihood opportunities can help to reduce reliance on agriculture while also increasing resilience to econom­ic shocks. Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and promoting entrepreneurship can lead to job creation and income growth.

Improving food security requires investing in infrastructure develop­ment, such as storage facilities, trans­portation networks, and irrigation systems. Strengthening governance structures, promoting transparency and accountability, and putting effec­tive policies in place can all help to create an environment conducive to sustainable development.

Immediate humanitarian assis­tance to the most vulnerable popu­lations is critical for reducing suf­fering and preventing widespread malnutrition. Strengthening social protection programs, such as cash transfers and food assistance, can help vulnerable households avoid economic shocks while also ensur­ing food access.

Experts have recognised the val­ue of international cooperation and collaboration in mobilising resourc­es, sharing best practices, and coor­dinating efforts to address the food crisis. Collaboration with interna­tional organisations, governments, and civil society organisations can help ensure that assistance reaches those who require it the most.

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