Current food conditions are deteriorating due to lower household stock levels

In January 2016 as households are reducing food consumption because their stock levels are not meeting their food needs, food security outcomes have begun to worsen, particularly in the west, center, and eastern Sahelian zones of the country, which experienced severe to moderate drops in production (-25 to -50 percent). As a result, these areas are currently in Stress (IPC Phase 2), while the rest of the country has Minimal (IPC Phase 1) conditions.

The lean season will start in March instead of June in the Sahelian zones, and the Wadi Fira, Kanem, BEG, Lac, Guera, and Batha Regions will have difficulties in terms of food access given the poor cereal production and the Lac region’s insecurity. The affected households will be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) starting in March/April and will need humanitarian assistance to protect livelihoods.

The agricultural manual labor supply is below-average throughout the country following the discovery of gold in Fitri Lake. Many manual laborers traveled to this area to work in the informal sector during this time that is normally consecrated to vegetable gardening work, and as a result, vegetable production will likely decrease.

The below-average pasturelands this year stretch from the southern regions (Moyen Chari, Salamat, and southern Guera) to the North (northern Guera and Batha), and the pastoral lean season will be premature. Livestock watering holes are more and more rare, and livestock have starting traveling long distances to find water and pasture. The physical conditions of livestock are currently satisfactory but will begin to deteriorate.