© WFP/Giulio Dadamo
Chad
Chad, in Central Africa, has one of the highest levels of hunger in the world - 66.2 percent of its population of 15.5 million live in severe poverty. It is ranked 187th out of 189 countries in the 2019 Human Development Index.
Conflict and the climate crisis exacerbate hunger and poverty in Chad. Surrounded by countries at war, it also suffers from environmental degradation and rapid desertification. The people in Chad are among the most affected by the global climate breakdown.
Many depend on farming and livestock for their livelihoods but advancing agricultural practices is challenging as rain patterns are changing and droughts are frequent. This places even more strain on vulnerable families living in the Sahelian belt. Around 40 percent of children aged under five suffer stunting, according to the World Bank, with low height for their age caused by chronic malnutrition. Pregnant and breastfeeding women's health is poor, with high maternal mortality rates due to inadequate access to health services. Access to basic education is also limited.
The presence of hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled conflict in neighboring countries has put additional pressure on Chad’s already limited resources.
Displaced people, and other poor communities, in the Lake Chad Basin, the east and south of the country are dependent on humanitarian assistance for survival. According to the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan, 4.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, of whom only 2 million are targeted with adequate support.
What the World Food Programme is doing in Chad
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Food assistance
WFP is supporting 1.4 million vulnerable people affected by chronic food insecurity and climate-related disasters in Chad. In the Lake Chad Basin we provide cash-based transfers to enable vulnerable people to buy food from local markets, boosting the economy. We also provide nutrition support to babies aged six months to two years, helping to prevent malnutrition.
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Support for refugees
WFP provides life-saving food and nutritional assistance to 370,000 refugees from Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) hosted in 19 camps and some villages spread from the North-East to the South of Chad. In January 2018, 20,000 people crossed the border from CAR to Chad - the largest movement of refugees from that country, exceeding the total number for 2017 (2,000). 8,500 refugees from Nigeria are also assisted in the Lake Chad region.
102,000 Chadians, who fled violence in CAR in 2013, still live in transit sites and host villages in the South of Chad. -
School meals
WFP provides nutritious school meals to 120,000 children in food insecure areas of the Sahel, where food production is poor even in relatively good years. School meals encourage school enrolment, which is low in these regions. We also provide an emergency school meal programme in the Lake Chad region, feeding 15,000 children.
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UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS)
WFP manages the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) on behalf of the humanitarian community in Chad, with 19 destinations throughout the country served by four aircraft carrying personnel and light cargo. Over 120 humanitarian organizations rely on UNHAS to carry out their vital work in Chad.
Publications
In focus
Chad news releases
Go to pagePartners and donors
Achieving Zero Hunger is the work of many. Our work in Chad is made possible by the support and collaboration of our partners and donors, including:Find out more about the state of food security in Chad
Visit the food security analysis pageContacts
N'Djamena
BP 6308, Programme Alimentaire Mondial, Quartier Béguinage, îlot Q, lot 2, TF n° 1159, croisement de l’avenue Galmai Youssoubomi
Phone: +235 66992001 / 66992002
Fax: +235 51 56 05