Preliminary Appeal

Burkina Faso

Response to Sahel Food Crisis – Burkina Faso - BFA121

Appeal Target: US$ 963,461

Balance requested: USD 935,583

Geneva, 23 May 2012

The Heads of States of Liptako Gourma (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) have sounded the alert regarding an impending crisis for the whole region.  The Prime Minister of Burkina Faso confirmed the emergency food crisis in his speech to the nation on 30 March 2012.

Due to a severe period of drought there has been a severe decline in agricultural production over the whole region.  170 communities (out of 352) are recognized as being at risk as far as food insecurity is concerned, and the survey carried out on household economy in January-February 2012 clearly reveals that over 2,500,000 people, as well as a significant part of the livestock are facing an extremely precarious food and nutritional situation until the end of the “lean season”.

The situation has been further worsened with the massive influx of Malian refugees (56,000 refugees, number rapidly increasing) and their livestock.  According to observations made by the Government, the operational program to support vulnerable populations jointly adopted with partners for development and civil society organizations, initially estimated 1.5 million potentially vulnerable individuals.  This has now been updated to 2.5 million individuals, indicating an increase in funding needs. 

ACT Forum members in Burkina Faso such as Christian Aid, Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and ICCO have already assessed the overall situation and started emergency rescue projects in their operational areas.  The ACT forum, through ACT member Diakonia Sweden, is now proposing assistance, through an ACT appeal, to the most vulnerable populations through the provision of practical guidance, food and nutritional kits, agro-inputs and farming equipment.  The appeal also includes a project of Christian-Aid and its partner ATAD to extend the response to the Centre-North department.

The humanitarian needs in Burkina Faso are part of the regional ‘Sahel’ food crisis. The ACT Secretariat has been in contact with all ACT members in the 6 countries in the region. In Niger three ACT members are employing their full capacity in food distribution programs. In Mali the political crisis is aggravating the food insecurity crisis, while ACT members are carefully continuing or trying to restart their programs, with a possibility that they will come with a joint ACT appeal in the near future. For Chad and for Mauretania ACT appeals were already launched (TCD 121 and MRT 121). MRT 121 addresses also needs in bordering Senegal.

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