Humanitarian efforts undermined as hunger, terrorism stalk Lake Chad Basin 

Despite years of humanitarian assistance, hunger and malnutrition in the Lake Chad Basin have reached alarming levels this year. Underpinning the crisis is insecurity linked to Boko Haram and the effects of climate change, Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

On 1 June, Chad’s government officially declared a “food and nutrition emergency.” The Humanitarian Response Plan of March 2022 predicted that more than 5.3 million people, 50% of whom were women, would be threatened by food insecurity in Chad this year. 

According to the plan, more than a third of the population in 17 of the country’s 23 provinces are affected, with a “prevalence rate of 10.9% of global acute malnutrition and 2% of severe acute malnutrition.” Although the whole country feels the impact, the situation is worst in the Sahel provinces, including Lac, where 20% to 25% of the population is threatened. 

The food situation in Cameroon is also dire. According to the framework presented by the agriculture and rural development minister on 18 May, more than 2.8 million people, or 11% of the country’s population, are in an acute food crisis. Food insecurity is particularly prevalent in the country’s poorest Far North region, affecting around 5% of the population. 

Niger’s authorities announced in February that about 4.4 million people — about 20% of the population — were in a state of severe food insecurity. This situation is more alarming in the conflict zones, including the Diffa Region.

Although Nigeria hasn’t issued any official appeals for aid or declared an emergency this year, the United Nations estimates that over four million people are affected by the food crisis in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

Terrorism is the main cause of food insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin, with repeated attacks by Boko Haram splinter groups Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunnah Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad and the Islamic State West Africa Province. In some assaults, food is stolen and farmers are prevented from accessing their land. Because the insurgency has gone on for so long, hunger seems to have become banal, especially in areas that have endured atrocities for over a decade.

There are also recurrent inter-communal clashes resulting from the exploitation of natural resources. These conflicts force people to flee, disrupting trade and agro-pastoral activities. As a result, production levels have fallen drastically, and foodstuff circulation is hampered, leading to price hikes. As the situation worsens, communities face a precarious situation that hinders the region’s search for stability and development.