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Conflict to Worsen Food Security in Central West Africa

• by Sara Gustafson

Since mid-2018, conflict in the Liptako-Gourma region, the border connecting western Niger, northern and eastern Burkina Faso, and central and northeastern Mali, has displaced almost 700,000 people and caused massive disruptions to market functioning and livelihoods, according to a recent alert from FEWS Net . These disruptions are expected to continue to drive urgent humanitarian needs through the rest of 2020.

Below Average Rainfall to Challenge Planting, Food Security in Southern Africa

• by Sara Gustafson

According to a recent alert from FEWS Net , southern Africa has seen a below average start to the 2019-2020 agricultural season, with rainfall only 55-85 percent of normal levels from October through early December. This decrease in precipitation has negatively impacted planting and germination rates throughout much of the region. The most impacted areas include Lesotho, central and southern Mozambique, Madagascar, South Africa, and western and southern Zambia. The situation will only be further exacerbated by expected continued below average rainfall through May 2020.

Transforming Africa's Energy Agenda

• by Sara Gustafson

The production of safe, nutritious food to feed Africa’s growing and urbanizing population in an economically and environmentally sustainable way will require reliable, affordable clean energy sources. How can Africa ensure both availability of and access to such energy, particularly in rural areas?

Walk the Talk: African CFTA

• by Sara Gustafson

This piece originally appeared in IFPRI.org .

 

BY ANTOINE BOUËT, DAVID LABORDE, FOUSSEINI TRAORÉ AND SWATI MALHOTRA