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Hunger continues to be on the rise in Africa south of the Sahara, according to the 2020 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report , released in mid-July.

By: Sara Gustafson

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the global economy hard, and in many places other factors—such as the locust invasion in East Africa and falling export commodity prices—are compounding its effects. FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero observes that no modern economy has experienced anything like the combination of the Great Lockdown and the worst recession since the Great Depression, and that these could trigger a global food crisis—with Africa south of the Sahara especially vulnerable. He lays out a series of policy prescriptions that can help keep millions from starvation and fortify food systems for a post-pandemic world.—Johan Swinnen, series co-editor and IFPRI Director General.

Africa south of the Sahara has faced several weather hazards during the first half of June, according to FEWS.Net.

In West Africa, between June 19 and 25, heavy rainfall followed several weeks of above-average precipitation. This led to flooding in several areas, including parts of Ghana, southern and western Nigeria, eastern Senegal, western Mali, Burkina Faso, and eastern Chad. In the coming 10 days, these and other areas of West Africa are expected to receive continued moderate to heavy rainfall, maintaining increased risks for flooding.

By: Sara Gustafson

In the wake of the 2008 food price crisis, many policymakers and development practitioners shifted their focus toward enhancing the capacity and resilience of domestic food value chains. In West Africa, this new focus centered on rice. Since rice constitutes a leading staple food source in the region, it was hoped that increased investment in this area would increase domestic rice production and reduce reliance on imports, thus improving food security.