Vol. 11, Issue 5, Part A (2025)

Abstract
The main objective of this study is to examine how food aid affects food security in six CEMAC countries (Cameroon, Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea) from 2000 to 2018. Using an ARDL (Autoregressive Distributed Lag) dynamic model, the study analyzes both the short- and long-term impacts of various variables on food security. The methodology includes unit root tests to ensure stationarity and a Westerlund cointegration test to explore long-term relationships. The results show that food aid has a significant negative effect on long-term food security, suggesting that increased food aid tends to reduce food security. Exports and imports do not have a significant long-term impact, indicating they don't substantially improve domestic food security. Agricultural spending and population growth also have negative effects on food security in the long term. The study recommends optimizing aid effectiveness, considering alternatives such as enhancing local production to reduce reliance on external aid, and adopting a more structured, holistic approach to address food security in CEMAC, focusing on better resource management and aid allocation.