The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has warned of looming food scarcity in the region as Russia’s war in Ukraine lingers.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Sekou Sangare, disclosed this while delivering the Commission’s report at the ongoing 2022 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.

“The war between Ukraine and Russia, which started at the end of February, has had aggravating effects on the difficult food and nutritional situation in all the countries of the Region,” he said.

Mr Sangare said the war had affected the food supply chain and increased prices of food and fertilisers as both warring countries were major suppliers of food produce to the region.

He noted that more than 20 per cent of the region’s population would be affected if nothing was done.

Mr Sangare said that in addition to the Russian-Ukraine war, many other reasons, including the security situation and the massive displacement of populations, climate change, and harassment at borders, pose a threat to food shortage in the sub-region.

He noted that to deal with this food and nutritional situation looming for the 2022 lean season, several measures have been taken, including tax exemptions on the import of foodstuffs, price controls, and cash transfer operations.

The commissioner said that the countries of the Sahel, as usual, have adopted and implemented National Response Plans to anticipate and coordinate response actions.

He said that after discussions with professional agricultural organisations and other technical and financial partners, it was agreed that member states should improve farmers’ access to fertilisers through the provision of subsidies to the fertiliser sector.

“Lift the restrictions taken by the member states on the free movement of foodstuffs within the Community area (rice, maize, soya, sorghum, millet, roots and tubers: cassava/yam, fruits and vegetables. Livestock/meat, fisheries and aquaculture).

“Urgently mobilise internal financial resources to assist people affected by the crisis within the framework of social protection net projects: cash transfer, food for work,” Mr Sangare said.

The 2022 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament from June 9 to July 2, among other agenda, seeks to deliberate on draft community regulations emanating from the Commission.

(NAN)