Ebola Virus Disease - Food security brief 5 September 2014

HIGHLIGHTS

• Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are struggling to contain the world’s deadliest recorded outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Some cases have also been reported in Nigeria and one case was reported in Senegal. The West African epidemic is thought to have started when the virus crossed over from infected wildlife into the human population and subsequently began spreading between people.
• The outbreak has an acute impact in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone’s agriculture and food security. Farmers in affected areas are abandoning their farms and food stocks. Reduced food trade, consequent rising prices and expected reductions in domestic harvests is anticipated to further undermine the fragile state of food insecurity.
• FAO’s immediate response includes food security assessments in affected areas and increased efforts to improve awareness in West Africa about the risks of contracting the Ebola virus. Measures to assist affected farmers are urgently required to mitigate the impact of labour shortages during harvesting period and for related post-harvest activities (e.g. provision of key agricultural inputs for the upcoming cropping season, support to post-harvest activities, animal/fishery production, income generating activities and cash transfer).