Drought in West Africa

Key messages

• Natural resources depletion and crop failures due to droughts are widely reported in West Africa causing production losses, rising food prices, and increased hunger and malnutrition;
• In places where dependence on natural resources and agriculture form the foundation of livelihoods, drought could lead to temporal or permanent migration of people;
• Drought-induced conflicts are prevalent between nomadic herdsmen and sedentary farmers in West Africa;
• A number of climate-smart solutions (e.g., climate information services, soil water and conservation practices, rainwater harvesting etc.) are adopted in West Africa to adapt and mitigate drought-related risks on natural resources, food, water and livelihoods;
• In addition to regional strategies, countries in West Africa have submitted their National Communications (NCs) and a National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to the UNFCCC. These policy documents focus strongly on adaptation and are motivated through the lens of poverty alleviation and drought control.

This case study is a contribution to the GAR Special Report on Drought 2021.