Poor households in hard-to-reach areas are employing negative coping strategies

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During this lean season, poor host households, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees in insecure areas such as Djibo, Arbinda, and Sebba (Sahel Region); Sollé (Nord Region); and Mani, Kantchari, and Diapaga (Est Region) are facing food consumption deficits. Households are employing negative coping strategies such reducing the number, quality, and size of meals consumed each day. The marginal income earned from selling water, firewood, gold panning, and remittances from relatives is insufficient to purchase enough food for adequate nutrition, despite improved market supplies due to convoys arriving in June and July. To cope with severe consumption deficits, households are also increasingly turning to leafy vegetables grown or collected in accessible areas. Nevertheless, more severe food restrictions and increasing begging are reported, especially in the municipalities of Sebba, Arbinda, and Sollé, due to the scarcity of staple foods on the markets and the insufficient or total lack of assistance.
Threats and abuses by armed terrorist groups (ATGs) continue to restrict people’s movement, access to regular sources of food and income, and the supply of markets in these areas. Despite a steady pace of military operations to reclaim territory, ATGs continue to apply pressure in certain locations such as Djibo, Sebba, Dori, Gorom-Gorom (Sahel); Sollé (Nord); Diapaga, Fada, Bogandé, Kantchari (Est); and Dî and Lanfiera (Boucle du Mouhoun). Although the government has made efforts in 2025 to supply high-risk areas with military escorted convoys, long delivery times persist for certain locations (Sebba, Arbinda, Djibo, Sollé, Pama, and Kompienga). ATGs also attempt to generate income by operating checkpoints on roads (transit is allowed after payment), stealing livestock, collecting zakat from herders, exploiting artisanal gold mines, and engaging in smuggling. These activities negatively impact local livelihoods. Insecurity may continue to be a major factor limiting the free movement of people and goods and disrupting socioeconomic activities, particularly in the Sahel and Est regions, through January 2026.
After an irregular start to planting, consistent rainfall since mid-July has allowed farming activities to progress and supported crop development, especially in the Centre-Est and Est regions. In the main production zones in the Ouest and Nord, crops are mostly at the stem elongation stage, with growth similar to or ahead of average as of early August. However, in the central part of the country, where most crops are still in the tillering stage, slight delays persist. Seasonal forecasts (NMME) indicate average to above-average rainfall for August and September, which could support normal crop development, although there is a risk of field flooding, especially along waterways. Insecurity remains the main factor negatively affecting agricultural and pastoral activities, especially in insecure areas. Although the government has strengthened support in these areas compared to the last three seasons (e.g., free plowing, development of agricultural land, provision of inputs), access to fields for host households and IDPs remains below normal.
Favorable seasonal conditions have also encouraged cereal destocking by traders and large producers. Since July, market supply has improved in production zones, grouping markets, and major consumer centers such as Pouytenga, Bobo-Dioulasso, and Ouagadougou. This has led to stable or slightly atypical decreases in prices (10 to 20 percent) compared to the previous month and the same period last year, respectively. However, prices remain slightly to moderately higher (15-30 percent) than the five-year average in most markets. In insecure areas, price deviations from the five-year average are more pronounced, with increases reaching 98 percent for sorghum in Sebba and 96 percent for millet in Gayéri due to insecurity-related irregular supply. The ongoing price decrease is expected to continue through January 2026 due to harvests. However, challenges such as irregular supply to some areas due to insecurity, restrictions on cross-border flows, and high transport costs will likely lead to prices slightly higher than seasonal averages during this period.
The delivery of food assistance remains a major challenge for humanitarian actors, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. In addition to the limited funding for the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan (only 20 percent as of mid-August), the actual implementation of planned lean season interventions remains low due to logistical constraints, high costs of air transport, and the irregularity of military-escorted convoys. Weather conditions and threats of attacks on helicopters have also caused temporary suspensions of assistance delivered by air. Although up-to-date data on assistance are not available, coverage of populations in need may remain low throughout the lean season. Emergency stockpiles held by the government will not be sufficient to cover gaps in assistance, particularly in Sollé, Djibo, Arbinda, Sebba, Mani, Kantchari, and Diapaga municipalities.
Between September 2025 and January 2026, household food consumption is expected to improve. Consumption of food from the new harvests will be the primary source of food and income for poor households, especially in relatively calm areas of the country. However, in insecure areas, regular market supply and continued humanitarian assistance will be necessary to prevent poor host households and IDPs from quickly depleting their food stocks.

Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Burkina Faso Key Message Update August 2025: Poor households in hard-to-reach areas are employing negative coping strategies, 2025.

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.