Variations in Rainfall and Food Insecurity in the Sahel Region: The Case of the Far North Region of Cameroon

Teke Takwa

This study examines rainfall variations and food insecurity relationships in the Sahel Region of Cameroon where rainfall is scarce and irregular. Statistics from agricultural posts, rainfall statistics from meteorological stations and the Cameroon House Surveys are used to investigate this rainfall variations-food insecurity relationship. At a 5% significant level, a milliliter increase in annual rainfall leads to a 0.01% reduction in food insecurity, an average increase of one milliliter of daily rainfall after 15mm leads to 2.05% reduction in food insecurity A unit’s increase in the length of the dry season leads to an increase of 0.63% in the risk of food insecurity. The use of fertilizers, large farming areas and many household members in agriculture reduces households risks of food insecurity but many households even those that normally produce enough food are affected food insecurity during years of severe rainfall shortages and droughts Keywords: food insecurity, rainfall variations, Sahel