The 2023 World Bank Sierra Leone Economic Update sheds light on a deepening food insecurity crisis in the nation. Economic shocks have amplified structural constraints, severely impacting vulnerable groups in both rural and urban areas.

The report highlights that, while in January 2023, 788,000 individuals were facing food insecurity at crisis or emergency levels, this number was expected to rise to 1.1 million (13% of the population) by August 2023. Of grave concern is the projection that over 21,500 people would face emergency-level food insecurity (IPC4) by August 2023, a dramatic shift from zero in January.

“Currently, 55% of Sierra Leone’s population faces insufficient food consumption, 48% resort to crisis-level food-based coping strategies, and 38% encounter challenges accessing markets.”

The report emphasizes that while the rate of chronic undernourishment remains relatively stable, the absolute numbers have been steadily increasing due to rapid population growth. Sierra Leone’s food and nutrition insecurity rates have been amongst the most severe in West and Central Africa, with an alarming eight-fold increase in people experiencing IPC3+ conditions since 2016.

The situation predates recent global crises, with factors like COVID-19 and the impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine exacerbating existing challenges. The years between 2017 and 2020 witnessed a 29% surge, surpassing 862,000 people unable to afford a healthy diet, signaling the persistent and dire nature of the issue. The report underscores the urgent need for comprehensive, sustained interventions to address the deepening food insecurity crisis in Sierra Leone.