Lome — The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a US$2 million contribution from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance to populations hardest hit by the spill-over of the Sahel conflict in northern Togo. With this USAID contribution and additional multilateral funds, WFP will distribute food to 63,440 refugees, internally displaced persons, and host populations for three months starting in late June 2024 across 170 villages in the seven prefectures of the northernmost Savanes region. The commodities include 965 tons of maize, beans, fortified vegetable oil, and iodized salt.
WFP will also provide supplementary feeding by distributing fortified cereal (CSB+) to 3,745 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, and 2,693 children aged 6 to 23 months, to prevent acute malnutrition.
"We are grateful for USAID's continued support and generosity for the people of Togo," said Dr Moïse BALLO, WFP Country Director and Representative in Togo. "This contribution underscores the importance of international support to humanitarian crises in Northern Togo. By joining forces, we can make a tangible difference to save lives and relieve suffering of people affected by insecurity and forced displacement."
The spill-over from the Sahel crisis has led to an influx of refugees and internal displacements with around 38,000 refugees, mainly from Burkina Faso, and 32,000 IDPs registered by the Government with the support of UNHCR and UN agencies so far. The number of refugees is projected to rise to 117,580 by the end of 2024, according to UNHCR estimations. Furthermore, the March 2024 Cadre Harmonisé (CH) food security analysis reveals that 423,165 people in Togo, representing nearly 7 percent of the population analysed, are currently experiencing crisis levels of acute food insecurity (IPC 3+). The Savanes region is the worst affected, with 32 percent of the population lacking regular access to basic food staples.
The USAID contribution comes at a crucial time as WFP Togo is appealing for US$12.5 million in 2024 under the UN Gulf of Guinea (GoG) Joint Response Plan, to reach an additional 190,000 beneficiaries (refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and host communities) with emergency assistance and resilience building activities.
"The U.S. Government remains committed to working with Togo to tangibly address the growing needs of the country's most vulnerable populations" said Ronald E. Hawkins, Jr. Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Togo.
The first round of distributions will also include the supply of dignity kits in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The dignity kits will be distributed to women and girls aged between 12 and 49 and include sanitary pads, detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, underwear, body soap, buckets, combs and flashlights.
This joint response is in line with the UN agencies 'commitment to join forces in responding to the urgent needs of the most vulnerable populations in the Savanes while strengthening the communities' resilience in the onset and aftermath of shocks.