The Ukrainian crisis is exacerbating the rise in food prices

The low purchasing power of poor households is severely limiting their ability to access food. However, the introduction and continuation of the program of Emel and TEMWINE stores selling staple foods at prices subsidized by the state and its partners are facilitating access to food among poor households in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas. A large proportion of these households will be Stressed (IPC Phase 2), particularly in rainfed, agropastoral, and pastoral areas. Nevertheless, during the lean season from April through June, some households will likely be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).

Market supplies of staple foods remain normal. Prices of imported products are up significantly compared to last year and to the five-year average. In the Ould Yende and Mbagne markets, in March 2022 the prices of sorghum and wheat were respectively about 75 percent and 65 percent higher than the two-year average. Food price increases in the markets are due to the decrease in supply following the latest harvests, high seasonal demand (pastoral lean season), the increase in global exchange rates of raw materials, and the persistence of high shipping costs. These atypical price increases are further accentuated by the crisis in Ukraine, which is pushing the prices of imported food products – including wheat, sugar, vegetable oil, pasta, and milk powder – up even higher.

Pastoral resources are somewhat limited in this pastoral lean season. Transhumance movements from deficit areas in the north to areas in the south in search of pasture are continuing throughout the country. Demand for livestock feed is high compared to last month and to an average year. In addition, the price of both local and imported livestock feed is up compared to the average due to higher-than-usual demand from sedentary and urban livestock farmers.