West Africa Regional Program - World Food Programme 2010

January 2010 - Several countries in West Africa face serious nutrition emergencies including Niger Côte d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone. The poor distribution of rains in Sahelien West African region during 2009 has aggravated the already fragile food security situation which is expected to further deteriorate in 2010. CIDA's contribution is supporting World Food Programme in carrying out its regional operations in West Africa. Activities focus on helping to save lives in refugee situations and other crises through emergency food distributions; helping to reduce levels of malnutrition and undernutrition in the most vulnerable populations particularly children under five years of age and pregnant and lactating women; and helping to strengthen the capacity of Governments to address food security and nutrition needs in their countries.