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Over 27 million people in DRC face high acute food insecurity due to conflict, COVID-19 and economic decline

Overview

Around 27.3 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), making the central African country the host of the highest number of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in the world. Although the magnitude is unprecedented, partly due to new and urban areas analysed, the prevalence of people in IPC Phase 3 or above slightly decreased compared to the previous analysis. The latest results indicate that approximately a third of the population analysed is experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), with 6% to 7 in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), adding up to 6.7 million people in this situation.
Download a snapshot of the situation: English French

Actions Needed

  • End Intercommunal Violence & Conflict: Take all necessary measures to halt the violence in eastern DR Congo  and protect civilians from ongoing and future insecurity. Prevent any resurgence of the conflict through support to conflict resolution at all relevant levels.
  • Humanitarian Assistance: Immediate and urgent humanitarian action is needed for populations experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) to save lives, reduce food gaps and protect livelihoods. 
  • Livelihood Support: Support the livelihoods of households in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) by strengthening households’ access to inputs and local technical capacities; support livestock breeders and small farmers in the fight against diseases through the supply of necessary inputs.
  • Nutrition Response: Strengthen nutritional screening, support the capacity of health facilities, and provide support to the nutritional response in alert areas, primarily in areas classified as Emergency (IPC Phase 4) or with high proportions of populations in Emergency (IPC Phase 4).

Report

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been engulfed in a complex humanitarian crisis for decades, fuelled by armed conflict, natural disasters and disease outbreaks. While the poverty rate of the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa has fallen slightly over the past two decades, particularly in rural areas, the DRC nonetheless remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Women and children remain the most vulnerable. The crisis context is aggravated by the political standstill, the slowdown in economic growth, and structural weaknesses in terms of development.
Download the full report in French here

Population in IPC Phases





IPC Classification Map

February - July 2021
August - December 2021

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