Sahel food crisis

Ever since the first warnings of drought and poor harvests in Africa’s Sahel region emerged in late 2011, vulnerable communities in many areas of the region have been threatened by a looming food crisis. That crisis is now real, and 15 million people across seven countries are vulnerable to its impact. Support to protect lives and livelihoods is urgently needed before the crisis becomes an emergency. To meet the challenges of the current crisis, an estimated $724 million was needed in January of 2012. This brief calls on the United States to take the urgent actions needed to save lives now and break the cycle of hunger.