Food security and humanitarian implications in West Africa and the Sahel - December 2011

Responses are necessary to prevent a food crisis in the Sahel

The meeting of the Network for the Prevention of Food Crises in the Sahel and West Africa (RPCA) organized by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for the Fight against Drought in the Sahel (CILSS) and the Club du Sahel and West Africa West (SWAC/OECD) held in Praia from 8 to 10 December 2011, confirmed that provisional cereal production in the Sahel and West Africa, amounts to 55.4 million tonnes (up by 4% over the five-year pe-riod and down 8% compared to last year). Similarly, for CILSS member countries, production was confirmed at 16.6 million tonnes (down 2% from the five year average and 25% compared to last year).