The USAID Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET) (Réseau USAID du Système d’Alerte Précoce contre la Famine) 01 BP 1615 Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso, West Africa Tel/Fax: 226-31-46-74. Email: [email protected] STATE OF FOOD SECURITY IN BURKINA FASO FEWS NET UPDATE FOR JUNE-JULY, 2001 JULY 26, 2001 SUMMARY The growing season has begun well with no major problems, paving the way for a relatively good crop harvest, provided the rains remain steady and adequate to bring crops to maturity. For the period covered by this report, June 10-July 21, key markets throughout the country continued to be well supplied with the main cereals and other food commodities, such as pulses. Prices for staple cereals, such as millet and sorghum, remained stable between May and July, a good sign in terms of food access for the average consumer at a time when prices usually start to rise. Nevertheless, above - average (1996-2000) prices prevented most of the poorest households from having access to adequate food during the period, all factors being equal; the poorest households largely depend on their harvest as their major source of annual income, and the 2000 harvest was below average. The poorest households were highly food insecure in the Center West (Boulkiemde, Sanguie), North (Passore, Yatenga, Lorum), Sahel (Yagha, Soum, Seno), and the Center North (Sanmatenga, Bam, and Namentenga). In most of these regions, severe signs of high food insecurity can be detected already. These signs include: 1) consumption of only one major meal per day; 2) dependence on wild food, such as leaves of Balanites, for daily food consumption; 3) distress sales of animals; and 4) large -scale migration of populations to gold mining sites in Yatenga Province to earn adequate income to pay for food. Based on a recent joint field visit by FEWSNET and the GTP (Groupe Pluridisciplinaire de Travail), populations both from Passore and Namentenga provinces appeared to be most food insecure. The government and the donor community should target these food-insecure areas for its upcoming food distribution program. The need to assist the hungry rural populations at this time of the year when their energy needs are highest 1 but when their food consumption is often lowest could help to determine the season outcome in the next couple of months. The growing season appears to be going well so far. Most cereal planting activities are completed while those for pulses and other non-cereal crops are well underway. Crop growth and development were likewise normal and satisfactory, save for some attacks of caterpillars that required the treatment of more than 700 hectares in Passore. In agro-pastoral zones, pastures have regenerated and there is plenty of water in the rivers, dams, streams, and ponds to meet most needs. The only exception, however, is the large Mare de Dori that was still not full as of mid-July. Most animals were healthy and there were no major problems to report. In light of these considerations, the overall prospects for food security in the country are promising, provided that rainfall remains steady and adequate enough to bring crops to maturity by late August or early September. 1. Current Food-Security Conditions 1.1. Food Availability During the period under review, cereals and other food commodities continued to be available throughout the country. Most markets remained relatively well supplied, except for those where transport was hampered by poor road conditions brought about by rains. This was the case for several localities in Yagha (Sebba), Soum (Nasoumbou, Diguel, Koutougou), and Kompienga (Madjoari) Provinces. At the rural household level, on-farm reservesare virtually exhausted. Consequently, the market or the government-donor food aid program has practically become the main source of food for many families in the food-insecure areas. The poorest households with neither access to markets nor food aid, such as those in Passore Province, have been seen harvesting wild foods, such as Balanites leaves, for their daily consumption. Heavy rains in late June/early July have been detrimental for the transport system, making many major roads in the north and Sahel regions impassable in places. This has slowed the grain trade between the production-deficit provinces of the north and Sahel regions and the rest of the country as well as some major markets across the border localities, such as Mopti in Mali. The joint government/donor food aid program continued to be implemented. Nevertheless, food needs generally far exceeded the amount of available grain. Consequently, many households were often left without adequate grain. The government and the donor community should accelerate food delivery rates. Moreover, better-fed rural people will help ensure a better crop harvest. Without adequate food, needy rural households won’t have the physical energy to carry out their agricultural activities as required. 1.2. Food Accessibility Conditions Food access conditions faced by the populations are largely reflected in the market prices of the main staples, all factors being equal. Figures 1 and 2 show that millet 2 and sorghum prices remained virtually stable across the main distribution markets between May and July. The only exce ptions were Kaya, where millet prices dropped by 17 percent from June to July, while sorghum prices increased by 36 percent during the same period. The ongoing food aid program may have helped draw down millet prices in Kaya, but the rise in sorghum prices may be attributed to the strong demand from local brewers in producing a local beer known as dolo. Additional information is needed in the case of Kaya before drawing definite conclusions. Figure 1. Nominal Millet Prices in Key Markets 250 May 2001 June 2001 July 2001 Avg June 1996-2000 200 150 100 CFA Francs per kg 50 0 Bobo-Centre Dori Ouahigouya Ouagadougou Kaya FEWS NET/Burkina Faso Source: SIM and GTP Figure 2. Nominal Sorghum Prices in Key Markets 250 May 2001 June 2001 July 2001 Avg June 1996-2000 200 150 100 CFA Francs per kg 50 0 Bobo-Centre Dori Ouahigouya Ouagadougou Kaya FEWS NET/Burkina Faso Source: SIM and GTP 3 The relative stability of both millet and sorghum prices dur ing the past three months augurs well for prospects for food access for the average Burkinabe consumer at a season when prices usually start to rise. Nevertheless, these prices are significantly higher than the recent five -year (1996-2000) average prices and substantially limit market food access for the poorest households, even with the subsidized food aid sales program. Because of this situation, some poor populations in several of the food-insecure areas were reportedly facing serious difficulties in meeting their regular food consumption needs. These areas included, in particular: § Poa, Kokolgo, Bingo in Boulkiemde Province § Certain localities in Sanguié, Ziro, and Sissili Provinces, § Arbolle, Bokin, Samba, Pilinpikou in Passore Province § Kain, Thiou and Bahn in Yatenga Province and Solle, Rambo and Kalsaka in Lorum Province. § Nasoumbou, Diguel, Koutougou in Soum Province § Seytinga in Seno Province § Sebba and surrounding localities in Yagha Province § Several localities in Namentenga (Boulsa in particular), Sanmatenga, and Bam Provinces. In most of these areas, low-income families already show signs of being highly food insecure, unable to meet their food needs and forced to take measures that could jeopardize their future food security. The most apparent signs worth noting appeared to be: 1) consumption of only one major meal per day; 2) distress sales of livestock in exchange for cereals on the market; and 3) increased recourse to wild food, such as leaves of Balanites, as part of the daily diet. In addition, large groups of able -bodied men in Yatenga Province were reportedly relocating to the gold-mining sites of Thiou, Kalsaka, Seguenega, Sissamba, and Siguenvousse in search of income -generating opportunities. In light of this situation, the third phase of the government food aid program that was to have started in June should be implemented without further delay. However, the government, participating NGOs, and donor partners need to carefully target the free food distribution to the highly and extreme food insecure populations before relaunching the food aid program on a wide-scale basis. Failure to do so could result in unexpected price distortions and cause severe production and marketing disincentives in future. 2. Response Planning Update In spite of the delays that prevented starting the third phase of the food aid program, second-phase activities were still ongoing in a number of localities. According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, Burkina Faso received overall food aid support of 46,982 MT as of June 30. Of this amount, 26,896 MT were distributed or are being distributed to households in 13 provinces considered to be most food insecure. In accord with the donors and other partners, the government will use the remaining 20,000 MT to supplement the needs of the needy populations through late August/early September 4 while they are actively involved in agricultural production activities. As in the first and second phases, 10 percent of the 20,000 MT will be distributed free of charge to highly food insecure people, leaving the balance for subsidized sales (at a price to be fixed by the government) for the moderately food insecure portion of the population. 3. National Trends: Hazard Information 3.1. Rainfall Conditions The rains have stepped up since the third dekad of June and maintained a relatively adequate distribution throughout the country. Rainfall data released by the National Meteorological Services show a net improvement compared with the previous month. Above -average (1971-2000) cumulative rainfall through July 10 was recorded in Ouhigouya, Dedougou, and Fada.