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- With food stocks from the 2024 Season B harvest depleted, Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes are persisting in the Imbo Plains and Northern Lowlands livelihood zones. In the Imbo Plains, below-average crop yields and below-average income due to flooding and the overflow of Lake Tanganyika are driving food insecurity. In the north, irregular Season A rainfall and limited cross-border trade with Rwanda have further reduced income and purchasing power for households, limiting their access to food. In contrast, Minimal (IPC Phase 1) outcomes are anticipated to continue in the rest of the country, supported by near-average Season B agricultural production and stable income sources.
- In August 2024, food prices increased by about 10 percent compared to July, reaching levels 20 to 40 percent higher than the five-year averages and 15 percent higher compared to the previous year. This rise is driven by higher agricultural input costs, including fertilizer, labor, and seeds. A notable contributor is the 140 percent surge in sugar prices, which jumped from 3,300 to 8,000 Burundi Francs (BIF). The inflation rate also rose sharply to nearly 20 percent in July and August, up from 15 percent in June and 10 percent in May. The high inflation is primarily due to a deteriorating macroeconomic situation that has destabilized the BIF and official exchange rates, which now stand at half the parallel market rate, limiting import capacity. Low hard currency reserves are forcing traders to rely more heavily on the parallel market, further driving up prices for imports.
- Localized rainfall in September had a positive effect in improving soil moisture and creating favorable conditions for an above-average 2024 Season C, which accounts for 15 percent of the annual crop production. These favorable conditions supported increased cultivation of farmland, aided by ongoing government and humanitarian partner interventions promoting irrigation systems and providing subsidies for fertilizers and improved maize seeds. The rainfall, which accumulated over two to three days, provided sufficient moisture for households to begin planting on around 20 percent of land in the Northern and Southern Highlands livelihood zones and supported typical land preparation in other areas for the upcoming 2025 Season A. However, rainfall is anticipated to be below average in northern and eastern parts of the country through December, which is likely to lead to below-average crop production.
- According to the WFP’s monthly brief, around 60,000 refugees and asylum seekers received about 70 percent of their typical monthly food rations in August. Additionally, humanitarian food assistance covering a three-month ration has been provided to approximately 3,000 returnees and is expected to continue through end of the year. Funding shortages continue to constrain humanitarian assistance, with only 30 percent of 2024 humanitarian needs funded as of the reporting month. Food consumption gaps are expected to increase through the projection period due to limited humanitarian funding and above-average food prices among refugees and asylum seekers.
Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Burundi Key Message Update September 2024: September rainfall supported planting activities in certain highland areas, 2024.
This Key Message Update provides a high-level analysis of current acute food insecurity conditions and any changes to FEWS NET's latest projection of acute food insecurity outcomes in the specified geography. Learn more here.