Concerning livestock feed availability in the north of the country

Due to decline in pasture conditions, livestock feed availability, particularly for cattle and goats is especially challenging in the north of the country (livelihood zones 7 and 8). If early rains arrive in some areas, there may be a reduction in need for livestock watering. Farmers must increase purchase of agro-industrial byproducts for livestock feed, at prices 15 percent above average. This reduces their purchasing power, at a time of the year when many households rely on markets for their personal consumption. 

Overall, markets are well supplied with staple foods and basic cereal prices are generally stable compared to the 5 year average. Social prices for cereals, implemented by the government in April, have contributed to this stability. However, in the parts of the north that are not covered by this program (communes of Koutougou, Deou, Oursi and Tin-Akoff), high household demand at markets lead to atypically high price levels near 13 percent compared to the 5 year average. Additionally, in these zones, with the decrease in livestock prices (17 percent on average for goats) the terms of trade for livestock/cereals declined by about 20 percent compared to normal. 

Notwithstanding this fact, household diets remain normal, with access to at least two meals per day. In addition to livestock sales, poor households’ incomes come mainly from the sale of fodder and secco (woven mats) at prices about 33 percent less than usual, but also from gold panning with a price per gram of gold similar to the five year average, about 25,000 XOF. Also, thanks to the rains received, the local availability of wild foods (Cassia tora) alleviates some of the food availability difficulties for poor households.