Togo faces looming hunger crisis with over 330 000 at risk

The northern regions of Togo are bracing for a severe humanitarian crisis as food insecurity and violent extremism converge. New projections reveal that 330,000 people could face acute hunger within months if urgent aid does not arrive.

Northern Togo: a region under siege

The Savanes region, bordering Burkina Faso, bears the brunt of this unfolding disaster. Already struggling under the weight of terrorist incursions and a steady flow of refugees, the area’s economic fabric is unraveling. Markets are unreliable, supply chains are broken, and families are cut off from essential goods.

More than 50,000 Burkinabé refugees and over 10,000 internally displaced Togolese have sought shelter here, straining already scarce resources. With each passing day, the pressure mounts on communities already stretched to their limits.

Hunger peaks during the lean season

This crisis is unfolding at the worst possible time: the lean season, when food stocks from the last harvest are nearly exhausted and the next crop has not yet matured. Vulnerability is at its highest, and the ability of local households to share food is exhausted.

Adding to the distress are erratic weather patterns. Torrential rains and prolonged droughts alternate unpredictably, damaging fertile land and reducing yields. For subsistence farmers who rely entirely on their crops, these climate shocks are devastating.

Rising food prices deepen the crisis

The economic toll is just as severe. Skyrocketing prices for staples like rice, maize, and cassava have made food unaffordable for most families. Technical assessments show that half of all households in Togo can no longer afford a nutritious daily diet, putting children under five at grave risk of malnutrition.

Without immediate intervention, the situation is poised to worsen dramatically in the coming weeks. Aid agencies and local partners are sounding the alarm, urging both national and international support to prevent a full-blown catastrophe.