West Africa facing food crisis as coronavirus spreads

Pandemic adds to jihadi and climate change threats to present immense challenge' for region

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More than 43 million people in west Africa are likely to be in urgent need of food assistance in the coming months - double the initial estimates - as the Covid-19 outbreak accelerates, the World Food Programme has said.

Food insecurity could also double this year to affect 265 million people across the continent; west Africa, where the outbreak of the virus is most severe, is of increasing concern.