Is hunger in Africa a permanent problem? 

By Gonzalo Fanjul, independent researcher in the fields of international poverty and development

 We always seem to be hearing about a food crisis somewhere in Africa – especially in what’s called the Sahel region (encompassing parts of Chad, Eritrea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sudan and South Sudan). Is hunger basically a permanent problem in this part of the world?

The yearly food crises suffered in the Sahel region of Africa since 2005 have taught us two important lessons. First, drought and food shortages now last longer and happen more often than in the past, leaving rural communities vulnerable to a volatile and more expensive market. Second, because we are talking about a chronic crisis, it is clear that the resulting problems of malnutrition cannot be treated with short-term interventions. We need a strategy that incorporates direct measures against childhood malnutrition, food security programs that increase local food production and social safety nets to protect families against the sudden shocks brought about by these droughts and increasing food prices.