Early warning systems for food security in West Africa : evolution, achievements and challenges
Résumé
In West Africa, Early Warning Systems (EWSs) for food security have been widely recognized to have contributed, in the last twenty years, to an improved ability to deal with famine emergencies. Nevertheless, despite the advancements in understanding of the environmental and socio-economic dynamics and despite the improved technologies, tackling food security remains a difficult task for decision makers as demonstrated by local food crises in many countries of the region. AMMA, while improving the understanding of monsoon system, allowed us to better orient research challenges in order to provide EWS with improved products, effectively meeting the needs of end-users at different levels.