The 2011 agriculture season has been marked by irregular rains in the Sahel Region of West Africa reducing agricultural production by 8%.

The crisis is more pronounced in Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania and Burkina Faso, where recorded deficits of grain production vary between 15% and 52%. In these most affected countries, total production in 2011 amounted to 16.6 million MT, a level 25% below 2010 production level. The crises have put 15 million people risk of not being able to consume the recommended daily calorie of 2100 kcal/person.

The emergency situation and the risk of famine in the region, where acute malnutrition is already prevalent was confirmed by a joint food security assessment carried out by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), FAO and WFP.

The Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB) Board of Executive Director has approved an emergency food relief grant of USD 2 Million, on April 2012 as short term measure, targeting the most vulnerable communities in the Sahel strip of Chad, the livestock belt of Mauritania, the northern and eastern regions of Mali, the northern, north central and eastern regions of Burkina Faso, the regions of Tillabery, Zinder and Niamey of Niger.

The IDB Group calls on international development agencies and partners to coordinate their efforts and scale-up their assistance in order to avert a famine and protect livelihoods of millions of vulnerable people who are at risk in the Sahel.