Reference Date: 21-February-2024

Food security situation expected to remain dire in 2024

According to the November 2023 “Cadre Harmonisé” (CH) analysis, nearly 3 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity (CH Phase 3 [Crisis] and above) during the 2024 June to August lean season period, including over 425 000 people in CH Phase 4 (Emergency).

The current high level of acute food insecurity is mainly due to the persisting conflict, mainly in northern and eastern areas. About 30 communes are under siege by non‑state armed groups, mostly in Sahel, Nord, Centre‑Nord, Est, Boucle du Mouhoun and Centre‑Est regions. In these areas, households have very limited access to income‑generating activities and the supply of food in local markets as well as the delivery of humanitarian assistance has been severely constrained. High prices of main staples have further limited households’ access to food. The commune of Djibo, which has been besieged for about two years, remains the area of greatest concern.

Poor security conditions continued to disrupt agricultural activities in 2023. During the whole cropping season, a significant decline in cultivated area was reported in Sahel, Centre‑Nord and Est regions. Furthermore, in several provinces, including Kossi, Sourou, Mouhoun and Banwa (Boucle du Mouhoun Region), Koulpélogo (Centre‑Est Region) and Houet (Hauts Bassins Region), a decrease in planted area due to insecurity and population displacement was recorded as well.

Humanitarian needs are particularly high for the 2.1 million internally displaced persons in the country, mostly located in Sahel, Center‑Nord, Nord and Est regions.

Cereal production in 2023 estimated at slightly above‑average level

Harvesting operations of the 2023 cereal crops concluded last December. Despite the high prices of fertilizers and persisting conflict, 2023 aggregate cereal production is estimated at about 5.2 million tonnes, near the 2022 level and 4 percent higher than the average of the previous five years. Adequate cumulative seasonal rainfall amounts supported yields in most producing regions. However, rainfall deficits and pest outbreaks affected yields in some localized areas.

Prices of coarse grains near or below year‑earlier values in most markets

Wholesale prices of locally produced millet and sorghum were stable or registered seasonal declines in most markets between September and December 2023 (latest available data). Prices of millet were lower than their elevated year‑earlier levels, while prices of sorghum were near their year‑earlier values in most markets. These price levels reflect the delivery of humanitarian assistance for internally displaced persons as well as the release of cereals from national food reserves at subsidized prices through the so‑called “boutiques témoins”, a social protection measure adopted by the government in 2013 to support the most vulnerable households. In addition, the above‑average cereal output harvested in 2023 exerted downward pressure on prices of cereals.

An export ban on grains and millet, maize and sorghum flours was introduced in January 2021 with the aim to mitigate price increases and improve market availability, and it is still in place ( FPMA Food Policies ).

Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

This brief was prepared using the following data/tools:
FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance Sheet (CCBS) https://www.fao.org/giews/data-tools/en/ .

FAO/GIEWS Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Tool https://fpma.fao.org/ .

FAO/GIEWS Earth Observation for Crop Monitoring https://www.fao.org/giews/earthobservation/ .

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) https://www.ipcinfo.org/ .