Experts in African affairs and environmental scientists have raised alarms about the escalating risk of famine and worsening food insecurity in Africa, particularly in the Sahel and West African regions.
The crisis is driven by political conflicts, terrorism, and severe climate changes.
The International Rescue Committee, a US-based human rights organization, reports that 7.5 million people in the African Sahel, specifically in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, are suffering from acute food insecurity.
These countries, with a combined population of 70 million, are at the epicenter of the crisis.
Salah Halima, former Assistant Foreign Minister and Vice President of the Egyptian Council for African Affairs, explained that the Sahel region is plagued by civil wars driven by religious or ethnic tensions, military coups, and terrorist activities by extremist groups.
These issues have led to significant humanitarian challenges, including shortages of food, water, and shelter, resulting in mass displacement both within and beyond these countries, exacerbating food insecurity, hunger, and diseases.
Halima emphasized that the withdrawal of foreign and United Nations forces from the Sahel following military coups has created a security vacuum.
Local armed forces struggle to cope with the rising violence, worsening humanitarian conditions, and increasing food scarcity.
He called for large-scale food security projects, supported by wealthy nations, to combat the looming famine.
This support should be coupled with efforts to end conflicts and fight terrorism and extremist ideologies.
Magdy Allam, Secretary-General of the Arab Union of Environmental Experts, highlighted the unpredictable and severe environmental disasters impacting Africa, including heavy rains, severe droughts, and desertification, which threaten vast areas of food-producing land.
He pointed out that climatic shocks in the Sahel significantly affect agricultural production, making the continent vulnerable to famine.
Allam stressed the need for innovative agricultural methods, such as using greenhouses and efficient water management, to address these challenges.
