Food crises in the Sahel

The Network for Food Crisis Prevention was set up by the Club du Sahel after the serious 1984 drought in the Sahel region. The initiative aimed at creating an informal discussion arena for improving their ability to intervene in crisis situations. Preventing food crises in the Sahel brings together the evolution since 1985 of the various systems of crisis prevention and managements and covers the contribution of the Network to the improvment of these mechanisms. The experience is generally considered to be positive, but much remains to be done to achieve and ensure optimal food security, and to improve intervention coordination. One priority is to rationalise the various information systems in order to ensure ownership by individuals and organisations at the national level. Information systems need to be reviewed and adjusted to the countries' economic and financial circumstances. According to the authors, the Sahel is better equipped to deal with a severe crisis today than it was in 1984. The prevention mechanisms set up over the past ten years are such that any response is now guaranteed to be more suitable, swifter and better coordinated. They recommend that, as regards food security and other development subjects, it is time for the donors to change their ways and design their aid instruments to suit the problems to be solved rather than vice versa. Preventing food crises in the Sahel: Ten years of network experience in action. 1985 - 1995. Edited by J Egg and J-J Gabas. 1997. 200 pp. ISBN 92 64 15406 X OECD Publications 2 rue André-Pascal, 75775 Paris Cedex 16 France. Website: http://www.oecd.org/