Sources for data marked as Other Estimates of the 2, 990, 000 people potentially affected by food insecurity are based on FEWS NET analyses. The figure of 294, 800 displaced people is taken from data published by the Food Security Cluster on July 29, 2026. Description The 2026 agropastoral season in Chad is marked by a significant rainfall deficit, a late and irregular onset of the rainy season and an unusual extension of the lean season. In several regions of the country, rainfall remained below the seasonal average, affecting crop development, pasture regeneration and the availability of water resources. This situation led to a delay in agricultural and pastoral activities, while food stocks of producing households were already largely depleted and people were more dependent on markets to meet their food needs. Harvests, usually expected in September, were delayed until October in several areas, thus prolonging the period of vulnerability of rural households. The provinces of Kanem, Barh El Gazal, Lac, Wadi Fira, Ouaddaï, Sila, Ennedi East, Batha, Guéra, Hadjer-Lamis, and Chari-Baguirmi are among the areas most exposed to the risk of food insecurity. In these provinces, households are facing a decrease in expected agricultural production, a deterioration in their livelihoods, and a gradual decline in their purchasing power. Fodder deficits observed in several Sahelian areas reduce the availability of pasture and increase the costs of feeding and maintaining livestock, further compromising pastoral activities. The situation is aggravated by rising market demand, low food supply, trade disruptions and the lingering effects of regional security crises. Sudanese refugees, Chadian returnees, internally displaced persons, host communities, and poor agricultural and agro-pastoral households are among the most vulnerable groups. In the host provinces, pressure on natural resources, productive land, pastures, water points and basic social services is exacerbating humanitarian needs. In the pastoral areas of Kanem and northern Barh E Gazal, the poorest households are particularly affected by the late pastoral season and low availability of fodder. Many households are already resorting to negative coping strategies, including the sale of productive assets, reducing the number of daily meals, or taking on debt to cover their food needs. In Lake Province, declining income from fishing and livestock farming, combined with persistent security constraints, further reduces household access to food and markets. According to FEWS NET analysis, between 2. 5 million and 2. 99 million people could require food assistance, with a peak in needs expected during the lean season between July and September 2026. Humanitarian data also indicate that about 294, 800 displaced people remain particularly food insecure due to their dependence on assistance and limited production and income generation capacities. In order to mitigate the expected impacts of the rainfall deficit, the Government of Chad, with the support of the World Food Programme (WFP), OCHA and humanitarian partners, activated an anticipatory action mechanism in May 2026 in the provinces of Kanem, Barh El Gazal, Batha, Sila, Ouaddaï, Lac and Wadi-Fira. This intervention targeted 170, 472 vulnerable people through early warning systems and advance cash transfers to protect household livelihoods before the crisis worsened. Despite these efforts, the results of the Cadre Harmonisé 2026 estimate that more than 3 million people are facing acute food insecurity in Chad. The unfavourable evolution of the agricultural season, the deterioration of pastoral conditions, the increase in food prices and the vulnerability of displaced populations are likely to lead to a worsening of food consumption deficits and an increase in cases of malnutrition among children under five, pregnant and lactating women as well as the poorest households. Without a rapid scale-up of food security, nutrition and livelihood support interventions, the most affected provinces could experience a further deterioration of their humanitarian situation during the period 2026-2027. Request For Assistance Government Requests International Assistance Yes NS Requests International Assistance Information Bulletin Published Completed Actions taken by Federation General Other Summary The International Federation of IFRC Societies supported the Red Cross Society of Chad (CRT) in preparing for and coordinating to address food insecurity related to the 2026 rainfall deficit. This support included providing technical and strategic guidance to the teams, sharing documentation and analysis related to the El Niño phenomenon and its potential impacts on food security, as well as organizing working sessions to strengthen understanding of risks and response options. Actions taken by RCRC CTP/Basic needs The ICRC supports agricultural and pastoral households in Lake Province through actions aimed at preserving their livelihoods and strengthening their resilience to shocks. Its support includes vaccinating livestock, improving access to water, distributing crop protection materials and carrying out paid community work for the development of market gardens. The ICRC also provides vegetable seeds, agricultural tools and cash transfers to enable beneficiaries to restart their productive activities. These interventions help protect crops and livestock, improve agricultural production and sustainably support the incomes and food security of vulnerable households. Actions taken by National Society Damage/Needs assessment Cash & Voucher In order to monitor the evolution of food insecurity and better guide humanitarian interventions, the Red Cross Society of Chad (CRT) participates in a community-based food security surveillance system based on sentinel sites. Through this mechanism, CRT volunteers and community members regularly collect data on the household food situation, livelihoods, access to markets, pasture conditions and adaptation strategies used by affected populations. Data is collected directly from communities through observations, community interviews and the monitoring of predefined indicators. This information is then transmitted and analysed in order to quickly identify signs of deterioration in food security, detect the most vulnerable areas and guide anticipatory response or humanitarian assistance actions. In particular, the CRT has collaborated with local authorities and technical partners to define monitoring sites and surveillance indicators in the provinces. The information collected also serves as an advocacy tool with national authorities, humanitarian partners and donors. Actions taken by others In addition to the efforts of the Government of Chad, several international partners and humanitarian actors have mobilized to respond to the effects of the rainfall deficit and limit the deterioration in food security. In particular, the Chadian authorities have set up a response committee and continued to monitor agricultural projects aimed at strengthening agricultural production, food security and the resilience of vulnerable households. Faced with the scale of the crisis, the Government has also called for increased mobilization of technical and financial partners to support a coordinated and sustainable response. The United Arab Emirates has made a significant humanitarian contribution in the form of food aid worth US$8. 4 million, handed over to the National Office for Food Security (ONASA) to support populations affected by rainfall deficits and the risk of food insecurity. The World Food Programme (WFP), with the support of OCHA, UN agencies and the Government, activated an anticipatory action mechanism in the provinces most prone to drought. This intervention provided early warnings and cash transfers to 170, 472 vulnerable people to protect their livelihoods before the food crisis worsened. With funding from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), WFP also implemented targeted assistance to 56, 952 people at high risk of drought in Kanem, Barh El Gazal and Batha provinces. Activities included advance cash transfers and awareness-raising to strengthen the food security of the most vulnerable households. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has supported agricultural and pastoral livelihoods through the provision of agricultural inputs, improved seeds, production equipment and technical assistance to maintain production capacities despite the effects of drought. These actions are being implemented as part of the National Response Plan 2025-2026. For its part, OCHA coordinated the humanitarian response, monitored needs and mobilized resources, facilitating consultation between national authorities, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and donors. The member organizations of the Food Security Cluster continued needs assessments, emergency food assistance, cash transfers and livelihood support in the regions most affected by the drought, particularly in areas hosting refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons. Planned International Response DREF Planned Emergency Appeal Rapid Response Personnel Contacts Originator Abdourahmane Moussa, Coordinateur Securité Alimentaire et Moyen d’Existence, , NationalSociety Yacoub Mahamat Allamine, Coordinateur des Programmes, , Federation Léonce-Omer Mbouma, Coordinator, Disaster Management Disaster and Climate Crises, , Media Mahamat Tchoroma, Chargé de communication CRT, ,
Chad: TCD: Food Insecurity – 10-2026 – Food crisis due to rainfall deficit
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