Famine Early Warning Systems Network

Key Messages

• In addition to abuses against civilians, road infrastructure is increasingly being targeted by militant armed groups, preventing the transport of supplies to major markets and exacerbating the impact of blockades on households in the far north. In the Soum and Oudalan provinces and surrounding communes, poor households and IDPs are forced to intensify extreme consumption and livelihood strategies, resulting in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity.

• Overall, the rainy season has settled in early or on time in the country. Since the first dekad of July, rains have been regular and have allowed for the intensification of planting operations, especially inaccessible areas. Insecurity and difficulties in accessing fertilizer are the major factors limiting planting.

• In the main cotton and maize-producing areas, there is strong pressure from producers for fertilizer. Because the state subsidy is insufficient and overdue, large producers are putting their remaining maize stocks on the market to buy fertilizer and other inputs at twice the usual price. But the income from the sale of stocks is below average because of the decline in production last season. As a result, they are reducing the area planted with cereals and substituting them with legumes.

• At this peak lean period, households are more dependent than usual on markets for food. Prices for staple grains remained atypically high compared to last year and the five-year average: 45 and 75 percent for maize, 63 and 73 percent for millet, and 74 and 85 percent for sorghum. Staple food prices more than doubled compared to the average in the blockaded areas, particularly in the Titao, Djibo, and Markoye markets. Buck prices are down 22 and 23 percent, respectively, in the Dori and Gorom-Gorom markets compared to last year. The terms of trade for buck/millet have also deteriorated by 43 and 50 percent, respectively, compared to normal.