Central African Republic

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Latest food security analysis
Mise à jour des messages clés Janvier 2026 L’insécurité et les prix élevés maintiennent l’insécurité alimentaire des ménages pauvres Download the report
  • La persistance du conflit limite fortement l’accès des ménages aux moyens d’existence et constitue un facteur majeur de l’insécurité alimentaire en RCA, affectant de manière disproportionnée les personnes déplacées internes et les réfugiés. En janvier, les incidents sécuritaires se sont poursuivis, notamment dans le Haut-Mbomou à la suite des élections de décembre, où des affrontements entre groupes armés et forces armées ont entraîné de nouveaux déplacements, tant à l’intérieur de la préfecture que vers la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) voisine. Ces mouvements perturbent l’accès aux terres agricoles, aux marchés et aux opportunités de revenus, tout en affaiblissant les mécanismes d’adaptation des ménages. Par ailleurs, au 31 décembre 2025, la RCA accueille près de 64 000 réfugiés et demandeurs d’asile, principalement originaires du Soudan, de la RDC et du Tchad, concentrés dans la Vakaga, le Mbomou et le Haut-Mbomou. Dans ces zones, l’accès humanitaire limité et la dépendance à l’assistance augmentent la pression sur les communautés hôtes et accentuent les niveaux d’insécurité alimentaire aiguë.
  • Malgré l’amélioration saisonnière de la disponibilité alimentaire après les récoltes, l’accès reste très inégal entre les régions. Dans les zones sous contrôle de groupes armés, l’accès aux marchés reste limité, entraînant des prix élevés et des écarts de consommation chez les ménages pauvres. En dehors des zones les plus affectées par l’insécurité, la majorité des ménages pauvres parviennent à satisfaire leurs besoins alimentaires grâce aux récoltes de leurs champs et aux revenus tirés des activités de saison sèche, comme la chasse, la cueillette, la migration ou la pêche. À partir de février, l’épuisement des stocks et la hausse saisonnière des prix devraient détériorer l’accès alimentaire, maintenant des besoins humanitaires élevés.
  • La saison des pluies devrait commencer dans le sud du pays dès mars, favorisant les semis et le développement des cultures. Les conditions pluviométriques globalement moyennes à supérieures à la moyenne prévus permettront une reprise partielle de la production agricole et des opportunités de main‑d’œuvre, en particulier dans les zones accessibles. Toutefois, dans les zones affectées par l’insécurité, la capacité des ménages pauvres à relancer pleinement leurs activités agricoles restera limitée à cause des contraintes d’accès aux terres et aux intrants et des déplacements.
  • Les marchés de la RCA demeurent globalement bien approvisionnés en produits alimentaires locaux durant la période post‑récolte, ayant enregistré des baisses des prix saisonnières, même pour plusieurs denrées locales, jusqu'à la fin de 2025. Toutefois, certaines hausses précoces ont été enregistrées pour les céréales qui restent pour la plupart supérieurs aux niveaux de l’année dernière et/ou la moyenne quinquennale à cause des récoltes limitées lors de la dernière campagne et l’insécurité. En plus, les prix des denrées importées demeurent supérieurs à la moyenne, en particulier dans les principaux centres urbains, dont Bangui. Ces hausses sont principalement liées aux perturbations persistantes des flux commerciaux transfrontaliers avec le Cameroun, notamment les retards de transport et l’augmentation des coûts logistiques. Les ménages urbains pauvres, fortement dépendants des marchés, ne peuvent bénéficier des améliorations saisonnières normales de l'accès à l'alimentation compte tenu de ces prix élevés et continuent donc de faire face à des niveaux élevés d'insécurité alimentaire aiguë.
  • En 2026, la RCA devrait rester confrontée à une insécurité alimentaire aiguë persistante, avec des niveaux élevés de besoins, particulièrement pendant la période de soudure. Par ailleurs, le sous-financement chronique de la réponse humanitaire continue de restreindre la couverture et la continuité de l’assistance. En 2025, seuls 37 pour cent des besoins ont été financés, entraînant la fermeture de plus de 100 bases opérationnelles et la suspension de programmes essentiels, notamment en nutrition et en protection. Le Plan de réponse aux besoins humanitaires (PRBH) 2026 fait état du plus faible budget alloué depuis sept ans. En l’absence d’une mobilisation rapide et suffisante des ressources, la combinaison des chocs sécuritaires et des contraintes économiques devrait accentuer la malnutrition aiguë et élargir le nombre de ménages nécessitant une assistance d’urgence, augmentant ainsi le risque d’une détérioration significative de la sécurité alimentaire.
 Read the full analysis Key Message Update January 2026 Insecurity and elevated prices maintain food insecurity for poor households Download the report
  • The persistence of conflict severely limits household access to livelihoods and constitutes a major driver of food insecurity in the Central African Republic (CAR), disproportionately affecting internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees. In January, security incidents continued, particularly in Haut-Mbomou following the December elections, where clashes between armed groups and government forces led to new displacements, both within the prefecture and toward neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). These movements disrupt access to agricultural land, markets, and income-earning opportunities, while weakening household coping mechanisms. In addition, as of December 31, 2025, CAR hosts nearly 64,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Sudan, the DRC, and Chad, concentrated in Vakaga, Mbomou, and Haut-Mbomou. In these areas, limited humanitarian access and reliance on assistance increase pressure on host communities and exacerbate levels of acute food insecurity.
  • Despite the seasonal improvement in food availability following the harvests, access remains highly uneven across regions. In areas under the control of armed groups, market access remains limited, leading to high prices and consumption gaps among poor households. In areas less affected by insecurity, the majority of poor households are meeting their food needs through their own harvests and income from dry-season activities such as hunting, gathering, labor migration, or fishing. From February onward, stock depletion and seasonal price increases are expected to worsen food access, sustaining high humanitarian needs.
  • The rainy season is expected to begin in the south in March, supporting planting and crop development. Overall, average to above-average rainfall conditions are expected to support a partial recovery of agricultural production and labor opportunities, particularly in accessible areas. However, in insecurity-affected zones, poor households’ ability to fully resume agricultural activities will remain limited due to constraints on access to land and inputs, as well as displacement.
  • Markets in CAR remain generally well supplied with local food products during the post-harvest period, having recorded seasonal price declines — even for several local commodities — through the end of 2025. However, some early price increases have been observed for cereals, which for the most part remain above last year’s levels and/or the five-year average due to limited harvests in the last agricultural season and ongoing insecurity. In addition, prices of imported food commodities remain above average, particularly in major urban centers such as Bangui. These increases are mainly linked to persistent disruptions in cross-border trade flows with Cameroon, including transport delays and rising logistics costs. Poor urban households, which are highly dependent on markets, are unable to benefit from the typical seasonal improvements in food access due to the high prices, and therefore continue to face elevated levels of acute food insecurity.
  • In 2026, CAR is expected to continue facing persistent acute food insecurity, with high levels of needs, particularly during the lean season. Moreover, chronic underfunding of the humanitarian response continues to restrict the coverage and continuity of assistance. In 2025, only 37 percent of needs were funded, leading to the closure of more than 100 operational bases and the suspension of essential programs, notably in nutrition and protection. The 2026 Humanitarian Needs Response Plan (HNRP) reflects the lowest budget allocation in seven years. In the absence of rapid and sufficient resource mobilization, the combination of security shocks and economic constraints is expected to worsen acute malnutrition and increase the number of households requiring emergency assistance, thereby increasing the risk of a significant deterioration in food security.
 Read the full analysis
More analysis reports View all Central African Republic food security analysis reports Monthly analysis
Key Message Update Central African Republic December 2025
Key Message Update Central African Republic November 2025
Remote Monitoring Report Central African Republic October 2024
Alerts / special reports
Special Report Global June 23, 2025
Special Report Global May 1, 2025
Monthly analysis
Key Message Update Central African Republic December 2025
Key Message Update Central African Republic November 2025
Remote Monitoring Report Central African Republic October 2024
Alerts / special reports
Special Report Global June 23, 2025
Special Report Global May 1, 2025
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Acutely Food Insecure Population Estimates

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Central African Republic 2012 Livelihood Zones Map (.PNG)
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