Cote d’Ivoire
of people live below the poverty line
people need emergency food assistance
of children are chronically malnourished
The Situation
The political stability that Côte d’Ivoire has experienced since 2012 has produced strong economic growth. However, development is not inclusive and deep inequalities persist. Half of the population is living below the national poverty line and gender inequality rates remain one of the highest.
Though Côte d’Ivoire is a leading producer of cocoa and coffee, the food security situation remains a concern throughout the country, particularly in the western and the northern regions. Female-headed households and farmers are at higher risk of hunger because their productivity is hampered by recurring climate shocks, post-harvest losses, land degradation and limited access to tools, technologies, credit and markets.
WFP's Work
WFP has been in Côte d’Ivoire since 1968. Today, the UN agency has four main objectives for its work in Côte d’Ivoire:
- Ensure everyone has access to safe and nutritious food
- End malnutrition
- Boost the resiliency and sustainability of food systems
- Strengthen partnerships to achieve Zero Hunger
WFP aims to save lives, strengthen livelihoods and promote the transition to recovery through activities including:
- Food and cash relief packages for vulnerable households, including returning refugees and internally displaced persons.
- Agricultural support to strengthen the resilience of farmers, especially female farmers, to climate and conflict shocks
- Nutrition-sensitive programs that link small-scale farmers to schools, facilitating the provision of diverse and nutrient-rich foods for schoolchildren
- School meals program that includes:
- Daily school meals for 125,000 children
- Take-home rations for 15,000 children to completion of primary school
