IDPs are dependent on humanitarian assistance and markets

The deteriorating security situation has continued to increase the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to 138,000 (OCHA, April 2019). These IDPs are concentrated in the communes of Djibo, Arbinda and Kelbo (Soum province) and Barsalogho (Sanmatenga province). In the Soum in particular, more than 16 per cent of the population is affected. The presence of armed groups and inter-community tensions limit movement, humanitarian assistance, and supply to local markets that are dependent on the rest of the country.

While last season's higher harvests allow host households to feed themselves and favored the supply of certain interior markets (Arbinda, Déou, Markoye, Kelbo), it is noted that obtaining market supply from the usual source areas is becoming difficult. As a result, demand will exceed supply when the majority of households are dependent on the market during the lean season between May and September.

Insecurity limits the usual income gained from gold panning and the sale of small ruminants.  Livestock collectors are limited to the central markets of Djibo, Gorom-Gorom and Dori where sales rates remain satisfactory at over 80 percent. Prices of goats and rams are down by about 10 percent in the Dori market due to the additional supply of livestock from Niger. On the other hand, they increased by 10 percent in the Djibo market.

At the national level, prices for staple cereals remain stable or slightly lower than the five-year average.  In Soum province, sorghum and millet prices in Djibo and Arbinda markets are down by 20 and 25 percent compared to last year and by 8 to 13 percent respectively compared to the five-year average. Food assistance in the province contributes to this decline, reaching more than 58 percent of IDPs since March and contributing to maintaining Stressed (IPC Phase 2!) acute food insecurity in the province.