Food assistance and market supply coverage limited in hard-to-reach areas

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At the end of 2024, FEWS NET reported the need to maintain regular humanitarian assistance between February and May 2025 in hard-to-reach areas, particularly in the municipalities of Djibo, Kelbo, Arbinda, Sebba, and Diapaga, to prevent Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes. This need stems from the early depletion of rainfed crop stocks, weak vegetable production, and marginal incomes that are insufficient to meet basic food needs. FEWS NET also estimated that between 1.5-2 million people would require food assistance through May 2025, primarily in hard-to-access zones and areas with a high presence of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North, Sahel, East, and Centre-North regions. While vegetable production might help prevent severe deterioration of the food situation where water reservoirs are accessible, this is not the case in places like Gorom-Gorom and Sebba, where such sources are marginal or nonexistent, leaving poor households potentially exposed to Emergency (IPC Phase 4) or worse.
The security situation remains concerning across the country, despite losses suffered by terrorist armed groups in terms of both personnel and logistics. These groups remain active and continue to commit abuses, especially in the East, Centre-East, and Sahel regions, thus restricting the movement of people, disrupting supply chains and market operations, and limiting household access to food and livelihoods. Terrorist threats are particularly high around Djibo, Diapaga, and Sebba, where population movement is heavily confined within security perimeters. However, incidents and associated deaths have declined in the Cascades, Hauts-Bassins, Boucle du Mouhoun, North, and Centre-North regions. Although updated data on IDP numbers is unavailable, the ministry in charge of humanitarian affairs reported that over 1.06 million people had returned to 768 localities as of May 31 (compared to 716,723 returnees recorded in 524 localities a year earlier). Compared to the previous year, the number of municipalities depending on military convoys for supplies has dropped (currently around 10 versus 30), and there has been overall improvement in household access to agricultural fields and non-timber forest products.
While the number of markets reliant on military-escorted supplies has decreased compared to last year — due to fewer incidents along certain routes (Dédougou–Nouna, Kaya–Barsalogho, Ouahigouya–Titao, Toma–Tougan) — supply delays remain long, sometimes reaching six months in areas like Diapaga, Djibo, and Sebba, leading to stockouts. However, overall, most markets in hard-to-reach areas showed improved supply levels in July compared to earlier in the year, including in Djibo and Diapaga following deliveries in June. However, due to high transport costs, food prices remain out of reach for poor host communities and IDPs, whose limited incomes depend mostly on artisanal gold mining, firewood sales, and remittances. In June 2025, millet prices were up by 60 percent in Sebba and 66 percent in Arbinda compared to the five-year average.
Over the past six months, food assistance has also been irregular and insufficient, pushing poor households and IDPs — especially in Arbinda, Djibo, Diapaga, and Sebba — to adopt severe coping strategies, including reducing both portion sizes and number of meals per day from three to two or even one, depending on the locality. Cases of individuals, particularly adults, going a full night and day without food do exist, though they remain rare; in the worst scenarios, households rely on wild products (such as leafy greens), combining them with small amounts of grain. However, through military-escorted convoys in June the government was able to deliver assistance in Djibo and Diapaga for three and two months, respectively, covering at least 50 percent of the needs of most households in each municipality. Over the past three months, assistance has been more regular and sufficient in Gorom-Gorom and Titao, reducing the need for households to resort to emergency coping mechanisms.
The beginning of the year was marked by high price levels caused by limited supply, which some actors attribute to stock hoarding. At the beginning of the second half of 2025, staple cereal markets are seeing adequate supply. In addition to destocking by large producers in search of income to cover production costs, subsidized sales initiated by the government have helped improve market supply. The cereal export ban, reduced demand from Niger, and increased market monitoring have also contributed to better availability and price stability for major cereals in June compared to the same period last year. Nonetheless, prices remain moderately high (15-30 percent above the five-year average). This good level of supply should help prevent new inflationary pressure during the lean season (July-September). The arrival of new harvests between October and December should lead to a seasonal drop in prices, though they are expected to remain slightly above the five-year average through the end of the year.
The rainy season began favorably in mid-July, though with delays of ten to 20 days in the central and eastern parts of the country. Rainfall between August and September is expected to remain favorable countrywide. The national meteorological service forecasts a normal to slightly delayed end to the rainy season. Households' access to fields is better this year compared to the previous two seasons, supported by the increase in returnee populations resettling in their areas of origin. However, access to farmland remains limited, especially in municipalities in the Sahel (Djibo, Arbinda, Gorom-Gorom, Sebba) and East (Diapaga, Kantchari, Mani, Gayéri) regions.
Food assistance remains underfunded overall (only 21 percent funded as of July 15, according to OCHA). Lean season planning for June, July, and August aims to cover at least 20 percent of the population and meet at least 50 percent of needs in the provinces of Soum, Yagha, and Oudalan (Sahel Region) and Loroum (North Region). However, as in past lean seasons, logistical and security constraints may hinder proper implementation of this Assistance. Availability and access to green vegetables are expected to improve over the next two months due to production in accessible areas (such as bean leaves, sorrel, and okra). However, these foods will not be sufficient to compensate for reduced access — or absence — of staple foods. Without a sufficient response, food consumption will deteriorate among poor households in hard-to-reach areas (Djibo, Arbinda, Gorom-Gorom, Sebba, Diapaga, Kantchari, Mani, Gayéri) between July and August. From September to December, broader access to new harvests should allow for a slight easing of severe acute food insecurity for most households in these areas. In the rest of the country, own production will be the primary food source for households.

Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Burkina Faso Key Message Update July 2025: Food assistance and market supply coverage limited in hard-to-reach areas, 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.