Localized, poorly distributed rains contributing to speculative practices on staple food prices

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Irregular and poor distribution of rainfall in August (an important period for the development of crops in the main agricultural season) compounded the late start to the season and led to a delay in crop growth, particularly in the South-West, Center-North, and Center-West regions. In these areas, crops typically at the tillering/stem elongation stage are two to three dekads behind schedule, and instead are mostly in the emergence/tillering stage. Regular rainfall until mid-October is needed to make up for this delay. In the north of the country, crops are at or beyond the typical tillering/stem elongation stage.
In addition to the poorly distributed rains, flooding in the west (Houet Province) and in the Far North (Oudalan Province) is not significantly impacting crops, but could contribute to an increase in cases of malaria and waterborne diseases. Combined with worsening food access and limited access to healthcare services, the year-to-date cumulative cases of admissions and deaths of malnourished children (already up 25 and 85 percent, respectively, on the year) could increase.
Cereal supplies on the markets have decreased compared to last year and the average, and the difficult start to the season and persistence of dry spells, particularly in the South-West, Center-North, and Center-West regions of the country, have amplified speculative price practices. Cereal prices (millet, maize, and sorghum) had maintained a relatively stable annual trend through June when compared with the previous year, but in July recorded overall upward trends of 13 percent compared with last year and 42 percent compared with the five-year average.
In addition to the security and logistical constraints involved in supplying markets, road conditions have deteriorated with the onset of the winter season. In addition, some bypass roads are no longer passable, This contributing to longer delays for supply convoys and resulting in shortages of basic foodstuffs in certain markets, particularly in the north and east. The delivery of aid in blockaded areas has also been affected, particularly government aid which is mainly delivered by convoys under military escort.
Loroum Province continues to experience Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes. Although the escorted supply operation at the beginning of June made cereals available on the market, prices remain high and the low income generated by the sale of fodder, small-scale trading in market garden produce, and agricultural labor is insufficient to meet the needs of host households and poor IDPs. As a result, households are forced to adopt negative coping strategies including begging, going a whole day without a meal, limiting adult consumption in favor of children, or increasing consumption of foraged produce or home-grown green vegetables. Humanitarian assistance delivered via helicopter has been necessary in Sollé municipality but remains insufficient to address minimum food needs.
In the Soum (Djibo, Arbinda), Oudalan (Gorom-Gorom), Yagha (Sebba), and Tapoa (Diapaga) provinces, assistance is the main source of food and continues to be provided in municipalities where access to supplies is difficult and there are large numbers of IDPs. In these municipalities, food assistance covers a large proportion of the population and meets at least 50 percent of their food needs. However, in order to prolong the duration of stocks, poor households continue to increase their reliance on foraged products, and to reduce both the number of meals and quantities per meal, resulting in persistent Crisis! (IPC Phase 3!) outcomes.

Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Burkina Faso Key Message Update August 2024: Localized, poorly distributed rains contributing to speculative practices on staple food prices, 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.