Food security outcomes improve in the Far-North but outcomes deteriorate in the Anglophone Zones

Despite a couple attacks by Boko Haram along the Nigerian boarder, the security situation has improved in the Far-North Region. The number of IDPs returning to their village of origin for agriculture activities increased from last year from 59,392 in June 2017 to 92,238 returnees in June 2018 (OIM/DTM, June 2017- June 2018), an increase of 55.3 percent. Nevertheless, movement restrictions are still enforced in some areas of Fotokol, Makary, and Hile-Alifa Districts.

Most host households and the majority of IDPs are currently consuming their own crops as the harvest is ongoing in the Far-North. Since the beginning of the season, the spatial-temporal distribution of rainfall has been average, favoring average to above-average harvests. In markets, food prices started to seasonally decrease with prices 13 to 48 percent below last year for rainfed sorghum and maize in Maroua and Kousseri markets, respectively. Pending the resumption of fishing activity in November, household depend on the sale of cowpeas, groundnuts, livestock to pay school fees, the main expense of the moment.

In the English-speaking regions of the Northwest and Southwest, the renewed hostility between secessionist groups and national armed forces continued in the run-up to the October 7^th elections. Post-election protests and persistent unrest has increased and continues to increase the number of IDPs. The number of IDPs is currently estimated at 437,000 (OCHA, October 2018) in the Southwest and Northwest and in neighboring regions, Littoral and West.

Usually in this period, cocoa, palm oil, and coffee plantations in English-speaking areas are starting to harvest, but fields are being abandoned this could lead to crops losses and income for farmers.