Interestingly, the WFP's latest report indicates a decrease of 7.7 million people facing food insecurity compared to last year, attributed to better-than-average rainfall and slight improvements in security.

Key factors contributing to this crisis include ongoing conflicts, economic instability, and severe climate shocks, particularly the conflicts in the Sahel and the Sudanese civil war, which have displaced over 10 million people.

In addition, Robert Guei, FAO Sub-regional Coordinator, has called for integrated resilience programs and improved access to fertilizers for smallholder farmers to enhance food production.

The crisis is particularly dire for children, with an estimated 16.3 million expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2024, including 5 million facing severe malnutrition.

UNICEF's Regional Director, Gilles Fagninou, stresses the importance of nutrition in early childhood and the need for reliable supplies of therapeutic food to treat malnutrition.

Despite a slight reduction in food insecurity, nearly 10% of the population in this region, which is home to over half a billion people, is still expected to face food shortages next year.

However, as of December 20, 2024, 3.4 million individuals are experiencing 'emergency levels of hunger', marking a staggering 70% increase since the summer of 2024.

According to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), over 40 million people in West and Central Africa are currently grappling with food insecurity, a number projected to rise to 52 million by mid-2025.

Margot van der Velden, WFP’s regional director for Western Africa, emphasizes the need for timely funding and long-term investments to combat hunger and empower communities.

Van der Velden called for better planning, timely funding for crisis assistance, and significant investments in resilience-building to break the cycle of hunger.

Countries most affected by food insecurity include Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad, which together account for over half of the food-insecure population in the region.

The situation has been exacerbated by severe flooding in Nigeria and Chad earlier in 2024, contributing to the acute food crisis.