Famine Early Warning Systems Network

Key Messages

• The availability of pastoral resources remains insufficient during this period given reduced pasture lands in the West and in the North of the country. However, the first rains observed in the third dekad of June in the eastern areas and south of the rainfed areas spurred the regeneration of the grass cover, enabling livestock to access pastoral resources in these areas.

• Cattle returning from southern areas and neighboring countries to their traditional lands are beginning to be observed. Demand for livestock feed is slightly above average and expected to decline by the end of this pastoral lean period in the last dekad of July. The prices of local livestock feed, as well as feed from Senegal and Mali, are slightly higher compared to the average given the seasonal decrease in raw materials. This period includes the sheep festival (Tabaski), which refortified the availability of livestock in markets along with a price increase of livestock in Nouakchott, Nouadhibou and in the interior of the country due to the strong demand. 

• Supply in food markets is normal with trade flows mainly from Nouakchott from residual stocks to consumer markets in the interior of the country. However, the supply of grains from Mali and Senegal to the markets in the Brakna (Boghé and Aleg), Gorgol (Kaédi) and Guidimakha (Ould Yengé) regions is below average. This is due to reduced trade flow from neighboring countries coupled with strong demand at the local level during this period of gradually depleting family stocks. In addition, the off-season rice harvests in the Senegal River Valley areas have made it possible to supply markets in Nouakchott and the interior of the country, thereby promoting the availability of local rice at the market level. Food prices have remained relatively stable in the Nouakchott and Nouadhibou markets, but on average are high compared to normal in markets in the interior of the country because of the effects of inflation and the slowdown in import trade flows.

• Access to sufficient and adequate food remains limited for poor households living in rainfed and agro-pastoral areas due to the depletion of food stocks and a decrease in income from the informal sector and from remittances. Conversely, households with small ruminants and cattle have seen their income improve following the increased demand for livestock during this holiday season of Tabaski. Stressed food insecurity outcomes (IPC Phase 2) are observed in rainfed, agro-pastoral areas and peripheral areas of urban centers.