High prices continue to reduce food access for poor households

Despite recent harvests, food access and consumption remains limited among poor households due to high food prices. Nonetheless, most of the country is Stressed (IPC Phase 2) with improvements in the availability of food stocks from harvests. In Tillabéry and Tahoua, ongoing conflict is limiting food assistance and has reduced harvests and the availability of agricultural employment opportunities to prepare market gardens. Additionally, households in Diffa and Southern Maradi face Stressed! (Phase 2!), with provided food assistance covering 2,100 kilocalories per person per day for over 20 percent of the population.

 In the Tillabéry region, there are increasing attacks by non-state armed groups (NSAGs) on the Defense and Security Forces (DSF) and civilians, resulting in several casualties, kidnappings, looting, abductions of livestock, and exacerbating population displacement. According to the Food Security Working Group, over the past three months, the Tillabéry region has seen an increase in security incidents, with 49 reported in October 2022 compared to 29 in September 2022.

According to the provisional fodder balance published in December 2022, fodder availability is around 21,441,980 tons of dry matter for livestock, and estimated needs are 34,146,759 tons of dry matter, with an overall fodder deficit of approximately 12,431,806 tons of dry matter or a gap of 37 percent. This deficit is more significant in the regions of Tillabéry (-3,385,211 tons), Tahoua (-3,169,644 tons), and Diffa (- 2,078,730 tons). Although fodder availability has improved since last year, it does not cover livestock feed needs, which will result in an earlier and longer than usual lean season in the pastoral zone.

With the availability of new crops, agricultural product supply is generally satisfactory in most markets. However, supply levels remain below normal overall due to lower carryover stocks, and the continued disruption of supply flows due to insecurity and the restrictive food export ban in Burkina Faso. Overall, prices remain significantly higher than the five-year average, particularly in Agadez, Diffa, Tahoua, and Tillabéry.