. As extreme poverty rises by 2.9%
By Victor Uzoho
A new report by the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) has disclosed that more than 25 million people in West Africa cannot meet their basic food needs.
This is even as extreme poverty in the region increased by nearly 3% in 2021, representing an increase of 34% compared to data from 2020.
The report, which reviewed the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on the region, was released Thursday by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with the West Africa Sub-Regional Office for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
The report also indicated that people living with less than $1.90 a day increased from 2.3% in 2020 to 2.9% in 2021.
This is just as the debt burdens of countries in the region increased amid slow economic recovery, shrinking fiscal space, and weak resource mobilisation.
Also, the COVID-19 impact study highlighted that preventive measures, including border closures, movement restrictions, and the disruption of supply chains, slowed income-generating activities and exacerbated food price increases in the markets.
This affected mostly people who rely on unstable income sources such as small traders, street vendors and casual workers.
The deteriorating economic situation that followed the preventive measures adversely affected the food security and nutrition situation of women, men, and children in the region.
The situation became very severe in conflict-affected areas such as the Lake Chad Basin, Liptako-Gourma, and the Sahel region, forcing people to sell their assets and livelihoods to meet their food needs.
This report clearly shows the urgent need for governments and partners to deliberately increase investments to strengthen and increase social protection programmes, social safety-nets such as school meals, and other livelihood-enhancing programs with particular emphasis on women and youth.
Speaking on the new report, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Sekou Sangare, in a statement obtained from the WFP website by Sustainable Economy, said the Coronavirus health crisis annihilated the benefits gained by ECOWAS and its Member States in the fight against food insecurity and malnutrition.
Sangare said: “Even if we are happy with the governments’ response through the mitigation actions they have taken, we have to worry about the residual effects of the health and economic crisis as they are likely to continue disturbing our food systems for a long time while compromising populations access to food due to multiple factors.”
On his part, WFP’s Regional Director for West Africa, Chris Nikoi, said the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 call for immediate and concerted actions to strengthen people’s resilience and capacity to withstand shocks.
“This report clearly shows the urgent need for governments and partners to deliberately increase investments to strengthen and increase social protection programmes, social safety-nets such as school meals, and other livelihoods-enhancing programs with particular emphasis on women and youth,” he added.
The publication comes in the context of a fragile regional economy that is not dynamic enough to allow families to regain their pre-crisis social and economic wellbeing.
It will also enable public and private actors to provide appropriate and resolute responses to the negative impact of COVID-19 on the lives of people in West Africa.
