Food assistance needs expected to remain high in Far North even after October harvests

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Acute food insecurity persists in parts of the Far North, particularly in Logone-et-Chari, Mayo-Tsanaga, and Mayo-Sava divisions, affected by frequent incursions and violence by Islamist militants. In addition to conflict-related impacts on agricultural production, the late start of below-average rainfall in June and July in most of the zone has resulted in limited or delayed August green harvests, negatively impacting poor households’ recoveries from the severe June-August lean season. Field information suggests that most poor households are still market-dependent as of August. Sorghum and maize prices in August were approximately 20 percent higher than the three-year average and significantly above pre-conflict levels in most markets, despite slight price trend decreases in the last three months due to reduced exports from Nigeria amid currency depreciation. The impact of conflict on household incomes and market access and functionality continues to limit households’ ability to buy food through the rest of the lean season.
The northern zone’s main harvest typically occurs from September to October and is expected to drive seasonal improvements in household availability of own-harvested foods across the zone. In conflict-affected areas, improvements in outcomes are expected to be marginal and will likely lag until October, given the shortfall in production and anticipated delay in harvest across most areas due to delayed planting. Most displaced and poor households, especially in areas facing more severe and frequent Islamist attacks and limited capacities to cultivate, will likely continue to primarily rely on purchasing food and gathering wild foods during and after the main harvest. However, they will face severe constraints in purchasing adequate amounts of food due to anticipated high staple food prices. These prices are expected to remain above the three-year average despite seasonal improvements from the main harvest and will continue to drive wide food consumption gaps through January 2026.
In the Northwest and Southwest regions, protracted conflict is driving another consecutive season of below-average harvests. Many households are likely to deplete their own-produced food stocks atypically early by November (four to five months earlier than a pre-conflict year). Field information suggests many rural households will likely sell most of their limited harvests by October for atypically low prices, in anticipation of market closures and disruptions to supply chains associated with upcoming separatist-imposed lockdowns in October aimed at boycotting presidential elections. From November 2025 to January 2026, access to food in these regions is expected to deteriorate when households deplete their food stocks and become primarily market dependent amid high and increasing food prices. Households in very insecure areas of Donga-Mantung, Momo, Bui, Lebialem, and Menchum divisions will face more severe outcomes, especially those that are isolated and have earned little or no income from agricultural sales and labor this season.
In conflict-free areas of the south, households will rely on own-produced food stocks from the July-September harvesting period as is typical, and experience near-normal access to food through at least January 2026, supported by a generally favorable 2025 harvest. However, despite new harvests, prices of staple foods are expected to remain high and above the three-year average due to reduced supply from conflict-affected areas and high transportation costs driven by the 2024 official fuel price increase, therefore limiting food access for urban poor households who typically rely on market purchases for food. In the cities of Yaoundé and Douala, most of the large number of refugees and internally displaced people are market-dependent and have lost their typical livelihoods, making them particularly susceptible to rising food and transportation costs. Assistance needs are expected to remain high through January 2026 for these households.
Countrywide food assistance needs are expected to remain high from August through October, then increase until January 2026, fueled by deteriorating food security among conflict-affected households in the Northwest, Southwest, and Far North. However, emergency food and nutrition assistance face severe funding reductions and uncertainties. Data from the Food Security Cluster suggest less than 4 percent of the total population in the Northwest, Southwest, and Far North received assistance during the first Half of 2025, with Bui, Boyo, Mezam, and Momo (Northwest); Fako and Lebialem (Southwest); and Mayo Sava (Far North) receiving no assistance. According to WFP, refugees continue to receive half rations and incomplete food baskets. While information on planned and funded humanitarian food assistance is unavailable, further cuts to food, nutrition, and agricultural assistance will likely occur over the next six months, given ongoing reductions in donor funding.
Analysis published by the International Crisis Group anticipates a temporary uptick in fighting between military and separatist fighters in the Northwest and Southwest regions and the military and Islamist militants in the Far North during and after the October 2025 presidential election. Separatist groups have announced a general boycott of the elections in these regions, including a prolonged period of lockdown in the month of October. An escalation of tension in conflict-affected areas beyond levels considered in FEWS NET’s most-likely scenario would likely further disrupt livelihoods and increase population displacements, driving up assistance needs. Increased insecurity would further hamper already limited access to humanitarian assistance for the most conflict-affected households.

Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Cameroon Key Message Update August 2025: Food assistance needs expected to remain high in Far North even after October harvests, 2025.

This Key Message Update provides a high-level analysis of current acute food insecurity conditions and any changes to FEWS NET's latest projection of acute food insecurity outcomes in the specified geography. Learn more here.