BURKINA FASO Food Security Outlook Update September 2010 Deterioration in food access in flood-stricken areas Key Messages Figure 1. Current estimated food security outcomes, September 2010 As anticipated in the July outlook report, current household food security conditions around the country have improved since last month. The availability of green crops (corn, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, groundnuts, etc.) is supplying household food stores and generating extra income. Rainfall forecasts and the current developmental stages of different crops bode well for a satisfactory growing season. The outlook for October harvests of rainfed crops and December harvests of off-season crops is good. Nationwide food aid needs for the 2010/11 consumption year are expected to be in line with the norm.

The physical isolation of flood-stricken municipalities at risk of

food insecurity is limiting assistance efforts (distributions of Source: FEWS NET free food aid, government-subsidized sales), which are not keeping pace with corresponding needs. Livelihood rebuilding Figure 2. Most likely food security scenario, and recovery needs will force households to step up their dry October-December 2010 season coping strategies, as they would in a deficit year, particularly in the case of poor households.

Update of the Outlook through December 2010

Food security conditions in the southern and western parts of the country have improved since last month thanks to the availability of green crops (corn, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, groundnuts, etc.), serving as an added source of both food and income. In general, the 2010/11 agropastoral season is making normal progress which, with the good rainfall forecasts for the month of September for all parts of the country, suggests good harvest prospects. Crop performance in certain regions could top Source: FEWS NET production forecasts if the current pattern of regular, well- For more information on FEWS NET’s Food Insecurity Severity distributed rainfall continues into October. Weather models Scale, please see: www.fews.net/FoodInsecurityScale disagree on whether the rainy season will end on schedule or last longer than usual.

Certain parts of food insecure areas of the country were hard hit by flooding this past July, such as the municipalities of Tougouri, Bouroum, , and Nagbingou in Namentenga province, the municipality of Pensa in , and the municipalities of Manni, Coalla, Thion, and Pièla in . In many cases, the destruction and closure of roads due to flooding are requiring transshipments and the use of alternative means of transport such as carts and the use of alternate routes, thereby increasing travel distances. Together with the rise in fuel prices, this is increasing shipping costs, tightening market supplies, and driving up grain prices. A 25 to 50 percent difference in shipping costs (and travel

This report is an update of the July 2010 FEWS NET Food Security Outlook assessing food security conditions for the period from July through December 2010. The next Outlook report for the period from October 2010 through March 2011 will be released in October. FEWS NET FEWS NET Washington FEWS NET is a USAID-funded activity. The authors’ views expressed in Ouagadougou 1717 H St NW this publication do not necessarily reflect the view of the United States Tel: +226 50-36-88-36 Washington DC 20006 Agency for International Development or the United States [email protected] [email protected] Government.

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BURKINA FASO Food Security Outlook Update September 2010 time) between the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season is normal. This year, however, shipping costs and travel times in certain areas are up by as much as 100 percent from the dry season. For example, the closure of the 47-kilometer- long stretch of road between Boulsa and Pouytenga requires the use of an alternate route increasing the distance between these two points to 87 kilometers. Though August grain prices were near-average despite the sustained rise in prices since July on major reference markets, poor households, particularly flood victims, are still having difficulty maintaining their food access. In fact, market supplies in these areas are fair at best, with their physical isolation and resulting transportation problems triggering localized increases in prices. This group of households is facing a growing loss of purchasing power and a decerase in income-boosting strategies for this time of year. On-farm employment is bringing in very little income with the slowdown in farming activities until the beginning of the harvesting season in October. The continued absence of transhumant livestock herds and the long distances of animals from household settlements due to the late start-of-season are responsible for the low supplies and shortages of milk on certain markets in livelihood zones 7 and 8, which is supposed to bring in a little extra income. Moreover, shipments of supplies for government subsidized sales programs of and pre- positioned food supplies designed to assist flood-stricken households are running at least two to three weeks behind schedule.

Livelihood zone 7 (North and East livestock and cereals) was especially hard hit by the July floods (see the August update). Market supplies from traders are fair at best, with reports of business disruptions in certain markets such as the Liptougou market (which was completely destroyed by the floods) and the Zéguédéguin market (isolated by road closures). Flooding problems are limiting trade flows along the Boulsa – Tougouri road. Small animals are being taken to the main market in Pouytenga on foot instead of by truck, as is usually the case.

Current counts put the number of flood victims in the municipality of Pensa in Sanmatenga province, the municipalities of Bouroum, Yalgo, and Nagbingou in Namentenga province, and the municipalities of Coalla, Mani, Thion, and Pièla in Gnagna province at over 82,000 (out of a nationwide total of 105,000), who are relying on government-subsidized sales, distributions of free food aid, community assistance, and the extension of credit by traders on standard credit terms. However, these conventional strategies are incapable of meeting the needs of some two thirds of these households, which are cutting back their grain consumption by at least a third of their usual intake at this time of year and eating more non- traditional foods (wild plant foods and famine foods). The late start of the growing season in this area has driven animals farther away, tightening local milk supplies, which are a source of income for poor households at this time of year. The current moderate levels of food insecurity in this area should come down by the end of September with the local harvests of green crops.

The only foreseeable problem for the 2010/11 pastoral season is the low level of Dori Lake (at only 50 percent) for the second consecutive year; a seasonal lake sustaining the best pasturelands in Séno. Local agropastoralists will be traveling farther than usual to graze and provide water for their livestock. In theory, this strategy should suffice and should not have any adverse effects on the security of indigenous and refugee communities.

After two consecutive years of production deficits aggravated by the recent flooding problems, even a good growing season will not suffice to fully restore the livelihoods of poor flood-stricken households in this area. This could mean a “controlled” crop marketing policy (to pay back loans, generate income to meet other expenses, etc.) following the harvest in October and the increased use of dry season coping strategies between March and May, like in a deficit year.

Though household food stores in livelihood zone 8 (North transhumant pastoralism and millet) in the far northern reaches of the country are normally depleted at this time of year, the earlier than usual market dependence of local households by March instead of June, which is the case in a normal year, means larger than usual food costs for poor households this year. Fortunately, purchases of grain at government-subsidized prices and distributions of free food aid to flood victims are helping to improve the food access of this group of households.

Current income levels are still lower than usual. Despite the improvement in milk availability since the previous reporting period, available milk supplies for consumption and/or sale (which normally generate as much as 15 percent of the annual income of very poor households) are still below-normal due to the long recovery period from what was a difficult dry season. The late start-of-season in this livelihood zone prevented poor households from planting their own crops while, at the same time, trying to earn as much as possible working as farm hands for middle-income and wealthy households. The limited supplies of milk in this area (due to the absence of animals) are being earmarked primarily for household

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BURKINA FASO Food Security Outlook Update September 2010 consumption rather than for sale. In general, only households with a few domesticated animals (middle-income and wealthy households) have access to this source of food, which normally helps improve the nutritional situation and brings in income for poor households. This is reducing household income and limiting food access on local markets, making the poorest households more dependent than usual on social safety net programs. All poor households in this livelihood zone are still moderately food insecure.

Pastoral conditions in this area have visibly improved since August thanks to the availability of natural pasture and the high levels of surface water sources, which are at over 100 percent. This has helped curtail the mass sale of animals reported in previous months for the purchasing of animal feed, which is tightening market supplies. Sales of livestock slowed between August and September, following the drop in the average prices of animals between July and August.

The outlook for this livelihood zone published in the July report still holds. Harvesting activities beginning at the end of September should enable area households to rebuild their food stores, either from on-farm production or with purchased food supplies. By October, local markets should be well-stocked with grain and other foodstuffs thanks to the availability of harvested crops and the reopening of certain roads to motor vehicle traffic. The physical condition of animals will steadily improve, and livestock prices will rise between October and December with the tightening of market supplies in October (with the availability of fresh crops) and the heavy demand associated with the celebration of Tabaski in November and the year-end holiday season.

Market supplies in livelihood zone 5 (Central Plateau cereals and market gardening) are fair. The third round of government-subsidized grain sales and distributions of free food aid by the government and its partners are ensuring satisfaction of the basic food needs of certain flood-stricken and/or poor households. Rainy season farming activities are generating a normal volume of income for poor households. However, this average level of farm income is too low to sustain perfect food access at this time of year. There are reports of changes in the eating habits of the poor, translating into cutbacks in their food intake. This group of households has limited market access. The moderate levels of food insecurity plaguing these poor households have come down since the middle of September thanks to slowly growing supplies of green crops. As predicted in the outlook report, conditions should visibly improve as of October with the next round of harvests.

The main effects of this year’s floods on dry season crop production will be an expansion in the area planted in crops thanks to good water availability, the later than usual planting of crops in certain areas where the transplanting of rice crops was delayed by flooding, and a decrease in market gardening activities in areas around dams breached by floodwaters such as the Tougouri dam. Input assistance could help sustain the production of market garden crops, which is the area’s specialty, thereby boosting household income levels in this livelihood zone.

Seasonal calendar and critical events timeline

Source: FEWS NET

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