Food shortages and malnutrition reach record levels in west and central Africa

Farmers in the Agatu village on the outskirts of Benue face the loss of most of their seedlings and farmlands due to violent attacks in Nigeria's north. AP - Chinedu Asadu

More than 50 million people in west and central Africa will go hungry unless immediate is taken to address food insecurity – which is at an all-time high in the region, UN agencies and NGOs have warned.

One in 10 people will have difficulty accessing safe and nutritious food in west and central Africa, projections made by organisations including Unicef ​​and Oxfam have found.