Quote reblogged from jacony's memo with 2 notes
Nearly half of Niger does not have enough to eat. The 5.4 million people struggling to stay alive are part of a wider crisis affecting at least 10 million people across the swath across Africa that borders the Sahara, known as the Sahel.
This is the third time in the last decade the people of the Sahel have faced severe food shortages.
The problem, caused by drought and high food prices, is exacerbated by an ongoing conflict in Mali between the military and Tuareg rebels that has forced people to flee into neighboring nations.
Niger, Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania are all facing hunger. All five governments have declared states of emergency.
In Niger, people depend on crops and livestock for survival. They are used to living life on the edge. Every year, life is a gamble.
