The Far North region of Cameroon has been hit with floods recently with many of its inhabitants, and properties left stranded or destroyed respectively.
While assistance has been pouring from all corners, more than 400,000 people affected have to grapple with acute food insecurity and rising food prices, conflict, displacement, and climatic shocks.
The United Nations World Food Programme in Cameroon (WFP) is therefore rolling out an urgent assistance programme to assist 200,000 people affected by flooding and displacement in the country, and urgently needs US$ 17.7 million.
The information was shared in a press release dated November 12, 2024, where it was emphasized that “without immediate support, thousands of families, including children, will face severe food shortages and health risks”.
So far WFP provides nutritional supplements and promotes healthy eating habits to help fight flood-hit communities, especially among women and children.
From September to December 2024, WFP is providing cash transfer of FCFA 9,000 per person monthly to flood-affected individuals. The cash assistance, WFP highlighted, empowers families to buy the foods they prefer, which helps them maintain healthier diets and supports their recovery.
According to the release, WFP is working to deliver lifesaving food and nutrition assistance to 200,000 people affected by the floods. And, over the next three months, it aims to reach 100,000 people with essential food items, including cereals, pulses, cooking oil, and salt, to meet immediate dietary needs for the next three months.
To continue in these efforts, WFP urgently needs US$ 17.7 million to deliver timely assistance and prevent a further deterioration of food and nutrition security for families displaced by the floods.
Assistance from the Government, Local leaders, and aid organizations are not enough to solve the overwhelming needs of the population. So far, US$ 3.8 million has been secured, which covers just 22% of what is required.
“WFP’s ongoing efforts are made possible thanks to generous funding from donors such as USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection, Germany, and internal WFP funds designated for rapid emergency responses” the release disclosed.
Context
This year, 2.5 million people are reported to be facing acute food insecurity, over 70% of whom are in crisis-affected regions.
Since August 2024, over 13,800 people have fled to live with relatives or in temporary camps in safer areas such as Kousseri and Logone and Chari, however, resources available to assist them are quickly running out.
In a context where conflict and displacements, floods are ravaging the area leading to significant deterioration in the food security situation, worsened by rising food prices as well as an increase in the frequency and severity of climatic shocks.
The Fra North Region was recently hit with a flood that affected over 400,000 people cutting across 68,000 families including more than 139,000 children and 29,000 pregnant women. The flood waters are said to have destroyed over 56,000 homes, inundated 262 schools, and damaged 65 health centres.
For a region constantly grappling with unstable climatic conditions, 82,000 hectares of farmland are underwater, thereby threatening food supplies and worsening food insecurity.
About WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.