The worsening insecurity in the region continues to lead to an increase in IDPs and humanitarian needs

The 2019/20 harvests in West Africa are estimated to be above the average by 14 percent for cereals, 17 percent for tubers and 6 to 39 percent for pulses and oilseeds.  However, significant declines have been reported in the western part of the region and locally in the Sahelian countries of the Central and Eastern basins. In the Liptako Gourma region, the persistent deterioration of the security situation is leading to an increase in IDPs, abandonment of cropland and loss of livelihoods. Humanitarian access to populations is becoming increasingly difficult while needs continue to grow. Conflicts severely impede livestock movements and access to fodder resources whose production is considered below average in western Mali, and locally in the pastoral areas of Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad; the situation is more worrying in western Mauritania and northern Senegal for a third consecutive year.

The supply of food products is increasing seasonally due to ongoing harvests, while demand is decreasing with large carryover stocks. Prices are stable or decreasing compared to the previous month but still below average. They remain high in conflict areas. Local and imported rice prices remain above average in most coastal countries. The closure of Nigeria's land borders is leading to loss of income for many households in Niger, Togo, Benin, and incidentally in Burkina Faso and Mali, which depend on exporting their products to these countries and locally affect the prices of imported products at an increasing rate. With ongoing harvests, supply will continue to increase, and prices will be below average throughout the harvest and post-harvest periods.

Most areas will remain in Minimal (IPC Phase 1) until May 2020 and Stressed (IPC Phase 2) for some areas. However, continued insecurity in northern Burkina Faso, central and northern Mali, western Niger, northwest Nigeria and the Lake Chad basin will continue to increase the number of internally displaced persons and refugees. Humanitarian aid will help to maintain Stressed (IPC Phase 2!) outcomes in the regions of Mopti and Gao in Mali, Diffa in Niger, northern Burkina Faso, and Lake in Chad.

Crisis (IPC Phase 3) continues to prevail in the regions of Tillabéry in Niger, Tibesti in Chad, eastern CAR and English-speaking regions of Cameroon due to armed conflicts and civil insecurity that significantly disrupt household livelihoods and severely reduce the distribution of humanitarian aid. Households in northeastern Nigeria affected by the Boko Haram conflict continue to depend on humanitarian aid for access to food and remain food insecure and remain in Crisis (IPC Phase 3), and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) particularly in Borno State and incidentally Yobé State. In adjacent areas that remain inaccessible to humanitarian actors, the food situation could be similar or worse.