Burkina Faso
A poor 2011/2012 harvest due to erratic rainfall and localized dry spells has resulted in food insecurity in Burkina Faso, particularly in Central-North, Central-South, East, North, and Sahel regions. Significant cereal price increases—as much as 220 percent above the five-year average in some areas—have exacerbated the deterioration of the food security situation. High demand for cereals from neighboring countries and unfavorable weather conditions for agricultural activities have limited food accessibility in the country. According to the Government of Burkina Faso, up to 2.9 million Burkinabe, or nearly 20 percent of the country’s population, may require food assistance in 2012.
On March 2, 2012, U.S. Ambassador Thomas Dougherty declared a disaster due to the food insecurity. Staff from USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), including an economic recovery advisor, traveled to food-insecure areas of Burkina Faso to meet with humanitarian partners and assess emergency needs. The current response builds upon ongoing USAID/OFDA-supported nutrition and agriculture programs that improve food security among vulnerable households.
USG HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED IN FY 2012
|
USAID/OFDA Assistance to Burkina Faso |
$6,575,700* |
|
USAID/FFP Assistance to Burkina Faso |
$22,832,600 |
|
Total USAID to Burkina Faso |
$29,408,300 |
*This figure includes funding for both disaster response and disaster risk reduction activities. (As of September 14, 2012)
Latest Burkina Faso Fact Sheet
Sahel Food Insecurity and Complex Emergency Fact Sheet #16 (417kb PDF) and map (208kb PDF)
USAID/DCHA Pounds of Prevention - West Africa (278kb PDF)
Humanitarian Assistance in Review, FY 2002 - 2011 (301kb PDF)
Key Developments
During July, northern Burkina Faso continued to experience Crisis—Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) 3—levels of food insecurity, according to the USAID-funded Famine Early Warnings Systems Network (FEWS NET). FEWS NET predicted that food security conditions will improve to Stressed—IPC 2—between August and September, due in part to assistance from the Government of Burkina Faso (GoBF) and additional humanitarian aid from donors. High grain prices and the growing number of Malian refugees have strained local resources and exacerbated food insecurity in northern Burkina Faso, according to FEWS NET.
While vulnerable Burkinabe households continue to face food insecurity resulting from depleted food reserves, ongoing above-average cereal prices, and reduced income levels, the GoBF and partner organizations are providing agricultural inputs, including fertilizer and seeds, to farmers at subsidized prices to spur increased crop production during the coming harvest.
In Burkina Faso, USAID/OFDA supports nutrition assistance and agriculture and food security interventions, which include increased access to seeds and other agricultural inputs and trainings in improved agricultural and livestock-raising techniques for vulnerable populations. USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) has also provided direct food assistance to Burkinabe households affected by food insecurity.
@theOFDA
-
MT @USAID: We are the largest provider of in-kind food aid + one of largest providers of cash-based food asst in the world. #WFD2012
5 hours 5 min ago.
-
RT @UNICEF: Did you know handwashing with soap is the single most cost-effective health intervention ever? #iwashmyhands Please RT!
4 days 12 hours ago.
-
Women and Girls Reduce Disaster Risk Every Day t.co/ZGNjnYIf #IDDR
4 days 16 hours ago.
Comment
Make a general inquiry or suggest an improvement.