The U.N.'s World Food Programme reports nearly 50 million people across western and central Africa are expected to go hungry next year, warning that international funding for humanitarian aid is failing to keep pace with record levels of acute hunger. An analysis published by the WFP this week found more than two-thirds of households in the region cannot afford healthy diets, due to a combination of conflict, climate change and soaring food prices. Ollo Sib is the World Food Programme's head of research for western and central Africa.

Ollo Sib: “Nearly 80% of the people currently facing food insecurity are located in conflict zones. We also witness the impacts of climate change. For instance, this year there have been prolonged periods of halted rainfall in certain areas, resulting in significant crop losses for local farmers.”