During the period under review, five regional working groups met: Food Security and Nutrition (1 March, 5 April), Cash Transfer (7 March), Emergency Response and Preparedness (28 March), Health (29 March, 26 April) and Resilience (through March). Below are the main points of discussion of the meetings.
1. Food Security and Nutrition Regional Working Group
1 March
The seasonal regression of biomass continues across the Sahel region, leading to a deterioration of the health status of animal herds. On the cattle market, the situation is characterized by a large supply of small ruminants (sheep, goats), however a very low demand is causing a drastic fall in prices and a worsening of trade terms for livestock/cereals.
Some of the confirmations that came from the pastoral meeting organized by CILSS in Niamey on 25 February included i) forage deficits and low filling of watering points in some pastoral areas following sporadic rain distribution, ii) increasing transhumance activity, iii) civilian insecurity, which limits movement to certain areas despite grazing availability, and iv) the vulnerability of populations in areas of both departure and arrival, among other points.
Nutritional situation in the Sahel: it has been estimated in 2018 that 3.6 million children aged 6-59 months will suffer from acute malnutrition in the six Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Chad and Senegal); of whom 1,058,428 will present the most severe form of malnutrition. Of the different scenarios developed, the least optimistic one suggests that the number of children aged 6-59 months that are suffering from Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) will be 3,387,774 and for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) will be 1,573,347; bringing the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) to 4,961,121.
The Health Regional Working Group presented impacts of drought on the health sector, such as increase in acute malnutrition levels, morbidity related to malnutrition, infectious diseases related to water (RIFT Valley fever) and strain on the healthcare system. The need for a multi-sectoral approach, including health, was stressed for drought preparedness and response.