Chad: the influx of refugees and insecurity are deepening the crisis
- Houda El Hadi
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Series : The Root Causes of Migration
Chad is currently facing an alarming deterioration in food security. Projections for March to September show that several regions of the country are expected to remain in a state of acute food crisis, due to the combined effects of conflict, a massive influx of refugees and rising prices.
The alarm is raised by FEWS NET (Famine Early Warning Systems Network) which is a leading provider of early warning and analysis on acute food insecurity around the world.
The situation is particularly severe in eastern Chad, where a massive influx of refugees has placed unprecedented strain on already fragile communities. Since April 2023, more than 918,000 people have crossed into the country, many arriving with no resources or means of survival. As a result, they depend heavily on humanitarian aid, while host populations, already vulnerable, face growing competition for food, jobs, and basic services.
At the same time, insecurity continues to disrupt daily life. In some regions, repeated attacks by armed groups have forced families to flee and have severely undermined local economies. Fishing, livestock herding, and small-scale trade, key sources of income, are increasingly difficult to sustain. This loss of livelihoods is pushing more households into food insecurity, as they struggle to meet even their most basic needs.
Although markets remain relatively well supplied, access to food is becoming a major challenge. Prices for essential goods, particularly imported products like rice, have risen sharply, while household incomes continue to decline. For many families, this means eating less, skipping meals, or relying on emergency coping strategies. In some areas, the situation is so critical that a growing number of households risk slipping into emergency levels of food insecurity.
The Effect of Global Economic Factors
The crisis is not only driven by local factors. Global economic pressures are also playing a significant role. Rising fuel prices and disruptions in international trade are increasing transportation costs and driving up the price of imported food and agricultural inputs. These challenges are expected to affect the upcoming agricultural season, potentially reducing crop yields and further limiting food availability in the months ahead.
As the lean season approaches, the usual period of the year when the ability to access sufficient food is most difficult, the outlook remains bleak. The food crisis is expected to expand geographically, affecting new regions and placing additional pressure on already overstretched humanitarian systems. Without urgent and sustained support, millions of people in Chad could face an even more severe deterioration in their living conditions.
In this context, the situation in Chad highlights the growing interconnectedness of conflict, displacement, and global economic shocks. Addressing the crisis will require not only immediate humanitarian assistance, but also long-term strategies to strengthen resilience and stabilize livelihoods in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
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