Food Security

Last week’s ReSAKSS Conference , held in Accra, Ghana, highlighted key findings from the latest ReSAKSS Annual Trends and Outlooks Report (ATOR) . This year’s report focuses on the current state of nutrition in Africa, including progress on the Malabo nutrition targets, and how the agricultural sector can be strengthened and improved to ensure quality nutrition for all.

ReSAKSS:  Achieving a Nutrition Revolution for Africa

FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) has released two updated country briefs for Africa south of the Sahara. The country brief series provides information regarding countries’ current agricultural season and harvest prospects for main staple food crops, as well as estimates and forecasts of cereal production, cereal imports, and food prices and policy developments. This latest round of updates includes new information for Kenya and Senegal .

While global hunger has fallen significantly since 2000, hunger levels in Africa south of the Sahara remain high – they are, in fact, the highest in the world. This is the finding of the 2016 Global Hunger Index , released today by IFPRI, Concern Worldwide, and Welthungerhilfe.

Nigeria continues to face severe financial and food security challenges as a result of ongoing conflict and economic downturn. In June, the Central Bank allowed the country’s exchange rate to float. According to the Nigerian Market Monitoring Bulletin released last week by FEWS Net, since that time, the Nigerian Naira (NGN) has depreciated by more than 40 percent.