Conflict-affected households in Crisis amid flooding in parts of the Far North

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Since July 2024, the Far North region has experienced torrential rainfall and severe seasonal flooding, causing considerable damage in several localities, particularly in the Diamaré, Logone and Chari, Mayo-Danay, Mayo-Tsanaga, and Mayo Sava. OCHA reports indicate that as of September 19, 2024, 365,060 people have been affected, approximately 5,278 livestock lost, and 82,509 hectares of agricultural land destroyed. Ongoing green harvests in some areas have been delayed as flooding has prevented field access to crop fields. As a result, many households are relying more on market purchases than usual in September due to lower-than-normal supplies from their farms. Many poor, displaced households in the region facing the compounding shocks of ongoing conflict, insecurity, and flooding will continue to struggle to meet their basic food and non-food needs amid insufficient humanitarian assistance.
Area-level Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes for Mayo-Sava, Mayo-Tsanaga, and Logone-et-Chari are expected to transition from Crisis (IPC Phase 3) to Stressed (IPC Phase 2) in October as the start of dry harvesting marginally improves household food consumption. However, escalating insurgent attacks and persisting insecurity in these areas have maintained below-average production and driven reduced opportunities for agricultural labor and declines in household food supplies. As of September 2024, about 453,662 individuals remain displaced by conflict. Additionally, an estimated 26,159 persons have been newly displaced by flooding in the Mayo-Danay division, although the displacement figures have yet to be consolidated (OCHA). Despite main season harvesting, some households dealing with little harvest will continue to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes. Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes are likely for a small proportion of worst-affected households given a lack of harvests alongside the combined impact of conflict, high food prices, flooding, and eroded coping capacities after years of successive shocks.
In the Northwest and Southwest regions, area-level Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes will deteriorate to Crisis (IPC Phase 3) from October and persist to May 2025. Due to the negative impacts of conflict and insecurity on area planted and agricultural production, many households are expected to exhaust their limited food stocks three to four months earlier than normal. A two-week lockdown imposed by Separatist fighters in September to boycott the start of the academic year has led to an increase in population displacements. It has further disrupted household access to key sources of food and income. Additionally, prices of harvested foods in key markets remain moderately higher than last year and the five-year average. Food prices failed to decrease seasonally during the harvesting period due to atypically high demand. As prices continue to rise and limited household food stocks are exhausted, poor households will likely become increasingly indebted to afford their minimum consumption requirements or be forced to reduce meal frequency and portion sizes.
Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes are expected to persist in Mberé (Adamawa), Kadey (East), and Lom-et-Djerem (East), with worst-off households in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) until January 2025. The presence of many refugees from the Central African Republic continues to drive high demand for basic necessities and high food prices even in the post-harvest period. Heightened competition for resources and job opportunities also contributes to below-average incomes, leading to the use of negative livelihood coping strategies such as reducing spending on education and healthcare.

Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Cameroon Key Message Update September 2024: Conflict-affected households in Crisis amid flooding in parts of the Far North, 2024.

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.