The Sahel crisis Poor rainfall across the Sahel over several seasons, culminating in widespread crop failures in 2011, led to food shortages in southern Mauritania, western Mali, western Niger, northern Cameroon and parts of Burkina Faso and Chad. Elsewhere, the Sahel region experienced a reduced and late harvest. A larger than usual demand for cereals was partially responsible for driving up food prices. In addition, conflict in northern Mali created a parallel emergency where more than 350,000 people in the north fled their homes to the south or to neighbouring countries.
Shipping corridors and RUTF volumes – the Sahel crisis
From Europe
250 mt
From Europe
Mauritania Mali
From USA
Over 18 million people faced food insecurity across the Sahel in 2012, and more than 4 million children under 5 years old were at risk of acute malnutrition. Some 1.1 million of these children were at risk of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and in need of life-saving treatment. In 2011, as the first signs of a nutrition crisis loomed, UNICEF began procuring RUTF from regional and international suppliers. Forward planning helped secure the $46 million needed to prepare for the crisis. UNICEF worked with governments to preposition RUTF in affected areas before the peak lean season (July – September). UNICEF procured 12,590 MT of RUTF and treated more than 927,000 children with SAM during the year. In addition to nutrition supplies, emergency health kits, family water kits, education supplies, bed nets and essential medicines were sent to the region.
4,471 mt
1,039 mt
1,967 mt
NIGER Senegal
458 mt
From Niger
chad
burkina faso
1,354 mt
nigeria
2,395 mt cameroon
656 mt From South Africa
Emergencies 27