Hunger_in_Chad
Chad currently suffers from widespread food insecurity. A majority of the population of Chad now suffers some form of malnutrition.[2] 87% of its population lives below the poverty line.[3] Because the country is arid, landlocked, and prone to droughts, many Chadians struggle to meet their daily nutritional needs.[1] While international aid into the country has brought some relief, the situation in Chad remains severe due to broader famine in the Sahel region. The World Food Programme has declared a state of emergency in the region since early 2018, stating that, “...adding to the poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition which already affects [the nations of the Sahel] to varying degrees, drought, failed harvests and the high prices of staple foods have hastened the arrival of this year’s ‘lean season’ – the worst since 2014.”[4] Malnutrition is high, especially among women and children, with a significant majority of all children in Chad suffering from some form of stunted growth or adverse health effects as a result.[3] As such, health in Chad is greatly affected by lack of food.[5] Food insecurity is a symptom of broader instability in Chad, which suffers from political, ethnic, and religious instability.[1] These issues have contributed to long-term food insecurity in Chad.