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Senegal, Mauritania at risk of hunger, experts say

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Senegal, Mauritania at risk of hunger, experts say

Barren pastures in two West African states of Senegal and Mauritania threaten livestock herding, (a key pillar of food security) which may force thousands to go hungry in the coming year, experts say.

Not enough grass has grown to feed the region’s cattle, experts have said with satellite maps showing barren pastures across large swaths of the two countries, which means animals will die, robbing owners of their sole source of food and income.

“Livestock herding is the key pillar of food security for the area,” Alex Orenstein, a data scientist specialising on pastoralism in the Sahel, said on Friday.

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“Herders feel the pain first, but it touches everyone in the region soon enough,” he said.

About 350,000 families depend on cattle herding in Senegal, according to a pastoralists’ association.

“The situation is very worrisome,” Saley Bana said, estimating that aid agencies will need to step up assistance.

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