Sahel Food Crisis Affects Millions

Posted: 12 August 2005

Oxfam is funding local groups that are helping nomadic people affected by erratic weather and locust infestation.

The World Food Program, a UN agency, is preparing to deliver food to 2.65 million people this month in Niger, where chronic poverty, erratic rainfall, and a locust invasion last year have created a serious food crisis.

Oxfam is particularly concerned about Niger’s nomadic people, who are not usually registered in specific communities and can be easily overlooked in food distribution programs. Nomadic animal breeding communities are the most affected by the food crisis across the Sahel. The lack of pasture has led to a huge loss of animals, with some families watching their whole herd die. For an animal breeder in Niger, this is catastrophic: the equivalent of people in the US finding their bank accounts emptied and house repossessed.

To help nomadic people endure the crisis, Oxfam is funding livestock purchasing programs, to help herders earn some income and keep money flowing through the rural economy. Other forms of assistance, such as food voucher for work programs, helps others to feed their families while carrying out useful community projects. As herders and farmers get back on their feet, they can resume their work without taking on unsustainable debt or selling all their animals and tools to survive.

As of August 12, 130,711 people in Niger have participated in Oxfam’s voucher for work program. In the past week alone, 1,300 families (about 10,500 people) were able to buy food in local markets thanks to their participation in the voucher program. The livestock program is helping 28,000 individuals in Niger.

To ensure nomadic people get the help they need, Oxfam is working with the Association for the Regeneration of Animal Breeding in Niger, known by its French initials AREN, which works with nomadic animal breeders mainly from the Peulh ethnic group in eight regions of Niger. Oxfam has been working with AREN for the last 10 years, and is now concentrating its assistance in the eastern Tahoua, northern Maradi, and northern Tillaberi regions of the country. AREN’s expertise and knowledge of the nomadic communities is critical. AREN staff understands the needs of people in these areas and can find the most vulnerable villages. This enables AREN to create an innovative and well-targeted program that does not create the dependency (one of the dangers of a poorly conceived humanitarian response). As part of this project, Oxfam is helping AREN provide training to field staff.

Oxfam is taking a similar approach with other countries in the Sahel region, which are dealing with the acute food crisis, such as Mali, and Mauritania. The majority of the poorest people in these countries live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their survival. It is essential that local organizations support people in these rural areas, so they can get through the crisis without becoming completely destitute.

Oxfam’s program in other Sahel countries:

Mali

Oxfam is supporting voucher-for-work programs in 101 sites in the northern region of Gao. 6,611 people have been employed for 30 to 90 days. 1,653 of the most vulnerable people have received free food. 30 percent of these participants are women. The work activities include planting and watering 10,000 trees, digging 7 ponds, constructing 25 kilometers of dykes, and regenerating 175 hectares of pastures. Livestock purchasing activities are just beginning in this area. Animal herders are expected to exchange livestock (mainly goats) at controlled rates for vouchers they can use to buy food or fodder. The animals purchased by Oxfam will provide meat for distribution to the most vulnerable people. Total number of beneficiaries: 50,000

Mauritania

Oxfam’s program is now entering a second phase, which focuses on cereal distribution to established community cereal bank. Food for work activities were implemented in 146 sites benefiting an estimated 7,093 families or approximately 49,651 people. 1,025 tons of cereal was distributed along with ration supplements of pulses, oil and salt. Work activities produced 314 kilometers of new ditches and rehabilitated 14.7 kilometers of dykes and dams. Cereal banks were set up in 104 sites benefiting an estimated 5,763 families or 40,341 people. Livestock purchasing is continuing in 23 sites benefiting 185 animal breeding families who receive income for their animals. 8,190 of the most vulnerable people have received free meat to supplement their diets.