Raúl González promotes Football Against Hunger campaign in Chad
The goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), joined the campaign earlier this year and travelled to Chad in support of joint efforts by FAO and the European Commission to help the most affected people get back on their feet.
The situation in Sahel
A combination of drought, chronic poverty, high food prices, displacement and conflict has led to dramatic declines in food production across Sahel. Cereal production dropped to almost half of last year's and the conflict in neighbouring Libya forced large numbers of expatriate workers to return, further compounding the dire economic situation.
More is still needed to fully mitigate the Sahel crisis. Support for local farmers and herders is a priority before and during the next planting season, which coincides with the rainy season starting within weeks. "If we want to help people grow their own food, funds are needed now," said Raúl.
Funding needed to fill the gap
To assist nearly 7 million people in the most affected countries - Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal - FAO is seeking $97 million for urgent actions such as seeds distribution, small-scale irrigation schemes, fodder production and vaccination campaigns. In addition, longer-term interventions are planned to reverse the cycle of food shortages and crises in the Sahel. But a funding gap of $74 million remains.
"We are losing the opportunity to give local communities the means to stop jumping from crisis to crisis," FAO's Director-General José Graziano da Silva warns, urging coordinated action that builds up their resilience and links relief with development.
The impact of the Football against Hunger campaign
"Football is the greatest sport in the world, powerful enough to ensure that their voices of those who have no access to the high corridors of power are heard loud and clear. In the Sahel, millions of hungry people need to be heard and to be given a helping hand. Europeans have given generously to the most vulnerable in this crisis, and we will continue to stand by them - until we win the match against hunger," said Ms Georgieva.
"We are proud to use the power and popularity of football," said Sir David Richards, Chairman of the Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), partnering with ECHO and FAO. "European professional football is providing a megaphone to raise awareness for their work, so that the right help can get to the people in need as soon as possible."
Raúl's visit to Chad is part of "Professional Football Against Hunger", a campaign launched in 2008 by EPFL, representing the 30 largest professional football leagues and almost 800 clubs across Europe, and FAO, the United Nations agency leading international efforts to defeat hunger.
Watch a video from Raúl's visit
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