West&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;is facing its worst&nbsp;food&nbsp;crisis&nbsp;on record&nbsp;driven&nbsp;by&nbsp;conflict, drought, and the impact of the war in Ukraine on&nbsp;food&nbsp;prices and availability, aid agencies said on Tuesday.

There are about 27 million people suffering from hunger in the region and that number could rise to 38 million by June, a 40 per cent&nbsp;increase from last year and a&nbsp;historic&nbsp;high, said 11 international aid organizations in a joint statement.

Large swathes of&nbsp;West&nbsp;Africa, including parts of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, are facing Islamist insurgencies that have forced millions of people off their land. Along with Chad, those are the countries most affected by hunger.

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The region has also seen worsening floods and droughts due to the effects of climate change, making it harder to farm. Cereal production in 2021/22 was down 39 per cent&nbsp;year-on-year in Niger and 15 per cent&nbsp;in Mali, according to&nbsp;West&nbsp;Africa's&nbsp;Food&nbsp;Crisis&nbsp;Prevention Network.

On top of that, global&nbsp;food&nbsp;prices have&nbsp;surged and trade has been disrupted due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Border closures due to COVID-19 have also had a negative impact, the&nbsp;Food&nbsp;Crisis&nbsp;Prevention Network said.

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/drought-crisis-in-the-horn-of-africa-13-million-people-face-severe-hunger-466951/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"What is new and worsening is mainly all the displaced people and abandoned land because of&nbsp;conflict, but also we are witnessing new drivers," said Assalama Dawalack Sidi, Oxfam's regional director for&nbsp;West&nbsp;and Central&nbsp;Africa.

Six&nbsp;West&nbsp;African countries import 30-50 per cent&nbsp;of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine, according to the United Nations&nbsp;Food&nbsp;and Agriculture Organization (FAO).&nbsp;

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The Ukraine war also risks redirecting much-needed funding from the region, Sidi warned.

"Many donors have already indicated that they may cut funding for&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;to pay for refugees in Europe," she said.

West Africa is facing its worst food crisis on record driven by conflict, drought, and the impact of the war in Ukraine on food prices and availability, aid agencies said on Tuesday.

West Africa is facing its worst food crisis on record driven by conflict, drought, and the impact of the war in Ukraine on food prices and availability, aid agencies said on Tuesday. There are about 27 million people suffering from hunger in the region and that number could rise to 38 million by June, a 40 per cent increase from last year and a historic high, said 11 international aid organizations in a joint statement. Large swathes of West Africa, including parts of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, are facing Islamist insurgencies that have forced millions of people off their land. Along with Chad, those are the countries most affected by hunger. Also read | Cloning pets is all the rage, and it can cost thousands of dollars. Here's how it works The region has also seen worsening floods and droughts due to the effects of climate change, making it harder to farm. Cereal production in 2021/22 was down 39 per cent year-on-year in Niger and 15 per cent in Mali, according to West Africa's Food Crisis Prevention Network. On top of that, global food prices have surged and trade has been disrupted due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Border closures due to COVID-19 have also had a negative impact, the Food Crisis Prevention Network said. Watch | Drought crisis in the horn of Africa, 13 million people face severe hunger "What is new and worsening is mainly all the displaced people and abandoned land because of conflict, but also we are witnessing new drivers," said Assalama Dawalack Sidi, Oxfam's regional director for West and Central Africa. Six West African countries import 30-50 per cent of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Also read | Sri Lanka's newly-appointed finance minister quits after just one day The Ukraine war also risks redirecting much-needed funding from the region, Sidi warned. "Many donors have already indicated that they may cut funding for Africa to pay for refugees in Europe," she said.

West Africa faces historic food crisis driven by conflict, price surge

Africa is dealing with a health crisis to a food crisis now after the coronavirus has hit the country hard. Watch report.

Coronavirus pandemic: Africa goes hungry due to COVID-19, Health crisis leading to food crisis

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West Africa faces historic food crisis driven by conflict, price surge

Coronavirus pandemic: Africa goes hungry due to COVID-19, Health crisis leading to food crisis