Northern areas face Stress due to crop losses and poor terms of trade

In the extreme north of the country, particularly the communes of Tin-Akoff, Nassoumbou, and Koutougou, pour households are already facing Stress (IPC Phase 2) due to the early exhaustion of food stocks and a deterioration in livestock-for-cereal terms-of-trade. 

In other communes in and around Sahel Region (Livelihood Zones 7 and 8), the lean season could start as early as February/March. This will cause households to sell a greater number of livestock than usual in order to purchase food for both human and animal consumption, rather than risk higher than usual livestock deaths due to a lack of forage. 

Elsewhere in the country, household food security is normal since food stocks and household income are at typical levels and prices for staple cereals are at or below the five-year average. 

For more detailed analysis, see the Burkina Faso Food Security Outlook Update for November 2014.