Italian
On the occasion of World Africa Day, Action Against Hunger highlights the five main challenges that humanitarian aid faces every day
May 24, 2025, Milan – In response to the food emergency affecting West and Central Africa, Action Against Hunger promotes the regeneration of degraded lands through holistic management, an innovative approach that involves planned grazing of livestock to promote ecosystem regeneration and counter desertification. This way, on previously barren lands, grass grows to feed the livestock, strengthen local meat and dairy production, and improve food security.
“Healthy soils produce more food, more meat and milk, strengthen self-consumption and livelihoods” says Joaquín Cadario, expert in agroecology and food systems at Action Against Hunger. “Regenerated land strengthens the resilience of families and ecosystems. In addition, healthy grasslands are among the most effective natural carbon sinks, contributing significantly to the fight against climate change, both in terms of adaptation and mitigation“.
This innovation translates into stronger local economies, livestock products for self-consumption, and sustainable livelihoods over time. In the words of Cadario: “we are regenerating the environment and strengthening entire communities“.
The restoration of desertified land, started in Niger between 2018 and 2020, was later extended to Mauritania and Senegal, where – in the Déaly silvopastoral reserve – 70% of the population depends on livestock farming. The results on about 90,000 hectares are tangible: in 2024 alone, 120 hectares were recovered, equivalent to about 120 soccer fields, with a 60% increase in rainwater absorption capacity and the reappearance of plant species absent for over twenty years.
Thanks to the improved water infiltration into the soil and the consequent replenishment of aquifers, access to clean water also improves, a vital resource in areas affected by prolonged drought and climate change.
Facing the “season of hunger”
During the “hunger season” – between June and October – food supplies run out and food insecurity intensifies. In 2024, Action Against Hunger supported over 500,000 people in Niger, Senegal, Mauritania, and Mali.· In Niger, 240,000 people have received assistance, with an increase in the rate of food diversity in vulnerable families from 38% to 69%;
· In Senegal, 17,000 people have been reached, 65 tons of vegetables have been collected, and 270 hectares of land have been regenerated;
· In Mauritania, over 26,000 people assisted and an increase in food diversity from 40% to 81%.
Five challenges for humanitarian aid in Africa
“Every day I receive messages from colleagues from different corners of Africa. They tell me about achievements, challenges, and, above all, about communities that resist with strength or that are still waiting, with patience and urgency, for the help that can make a difference,” says Cadario.On the occasion of the World Africa Day, Action Against Hunger identifies the five main challenges that hinder the effectiveness of humanitarian aid in the continent.
1. ACCESS
In order to save human lives, it is important that aid can access where needed. In 2024, over 74 million people needed humanitarian assistance in Eastern and Southern Africa, however, around 26 million of them live in areas where humanitarian organizations struggle to access. Key barriers include: conflicts, impassable roads, extreme weather conditions, security blockages, delays in permit approvals, obstruction of aid convoys and lack of security which continue to cause significant delays in aid distribution and widen the gap between humanitarian needs and available aid.
2. LOGISTICS
Every intervention requires careful planning: health authorizations, special permits, coordination with local humanitarian commissions, and correct distribution supervised by local actors. Before vaccines, hygiene kits, or bags of seeds can reach their destination, a complex process must be followed.
3. INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATION
In many contexts, there is a lack of electrical energy or suitable facilities to store medicines and vaccines. In Sudan, for example, where one of the most serious humanitarian crises of our time is taking place, over 70% of health centers are inactive due to the armed conflict devastating the region. In environments where diseases like cholera, dengue fever, and malaria affect thousands of people, the absence of adequate warehouses and infrastructure to maintain the cold chain, among other factors, hinders the availability of essential medicines. As a result, due to the lack of access to proper vaccinations, over 500,000 children under the age of five die in Africa every year. To address this, Action Against Hunger sets up mobile clinics, trains local staff, and has developed “REact” – a tool, created with the acciona.org Foundation and supported by the European Union, that calculates energy needs in emergencies and proposes sustainable solutions based on solar energy.
4. LOCAL MARKET CAPACITY
Most of the products that Action Against Hunger distributes – from food to medicines – come from local suppliers and markets. In a continent where over 60% of the population depends on agriculture for food and livelihood, this accelerates our humanitarian response capacity and, at the same time, strengthens local economies. Action Against Hunger believes that aid should be empowering and that the goal of its intervention is not just to alleviate hunger today, but to enable communities to sustain themselves tomorrow.
5. FINANCING
The chronic lack of funds has worsened after the United States announced an 83% cut in their humanitarian assistance, which in 2024 was supposed to account for 40% of global aid. The result is the suspension of life-saving programs in many African countries. In Niger, for example, 560,000 people rely on the services provided by Action Against Hunger. In Mali, the reduction of nutritional programs puts thousands of severely malnourished children at risk.
