Anticipatory Action: Towards a Coordinated and Progressive Approach to Crises in West and Central Africa

 

The first Regional Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action, held from 28 to 30 October 2025 in Dakar, concluded with a strong collective commitment from participants – including FAO’s Emergency and Resilience Unit (REOWA) – and a clear consensus on the need to act earlier and together in the face of recurring crises affecting West and Central Africa.

Organized by the Anticipatory Action Task Force (TFAA) in partnership with the Anticipation Hub, under the leadership of the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), the event brought together more than 150 participants representing national authorities, civil society organizations, UN agencies, bilateral and multilateral partners, international and local NGOs, and regional institutions.

Over three days, discussions provided a regional overview of anticipatory action, identified existing synergies, and formulated operational recommendations to strengthen planning, financing, and implementation of early and coordinated interventions.

“Faced with the upsurge of crises, no institution can act alone. Under CILSS leadership, by pooling our resources, knowledge, and effective early warning mechanisms, we can build a collective, anticipatory, and solidarity-based response to protect lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities,” said Dr. Abdoulaye Mohamadou, Executive Secretary of CILSS.

FAO: A Pioneer and Key Actor in Regional Coordination of Anticipatory Action

Through its Subregional Office for West Africa (SFW), FAO plays a major role within the regional Task Force on Anticipatory Action (TFAA). It provides technical leadership on food security and livelihood resilience while supporting countries in integrating anticipatory action into their national preparedness and crisis response plans.

“Anticipatory action is no longer an option but a necessity, given the increasing frequency and intensity of crises. As FAO, we are committed to strengthening the capacities of countries in the region so they can act earlier, in a coordinated and effective manner. By anticipating, we sustainably protect agricultural livelihoods and food security for vulnerable communities. Let’s not forget that we have all committed to eradicating hunger by 2030 – and 2030 is only five years away. It is by anticipating better and more effectively that we will achieve this goal,” emphasized Mr. Koffy Dominique Kouacou, Head of the Emergency and Resilience Team (REOWA) at FAO’s Subregional Office for West Africa.

Ms. Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya, FAO Subregional Coordinator for West Africa, reiterated the importance of this collective dynamic:

“FAO is fully committed, alongside CILSS and all partners, to strengthening early warning systems and rapid response mechanisms across the region. Together, we can build a more resilient West Africa, capable of acting before a crisis occurs.”

Towards a Strengthened Regional Dynamic

West and Central Africa remain among the most vulnerable regions to extreme climate shocks such as floods, prolonged droughts, heatwaves, and coastal erosion. These hazards compound interconnected crises marked by conflicts, population displacement, and growing food insecurity, with at least 49 million people at risk of food and nutrition insecurity according to the March 2025 Harmonized Framework.

In this context, anticipatory action emerges as a strategic and proactive approach that enables action before crises occur – through forecasting, preventive planning, and pre-arranged financing. This approach reduces response costs, saves lives, and preserves the dignity of affected populations.

The first dialogue platform concluded with the development of national Roadmaps, in which each of the 13 participating countries outlined their priorities for anticipatory actions. This event laid the foundation for a regional collaboration framework that will ultimately facilitate the implementation of funded anticipatory actions integrated into national risk management and humanitarian response plans.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.