Stabilizing rural Burundi

22 June 2011, Bujumbura - Peace in Burundi can be consolidated by stabilizing the country's rural communities, says FAO. The UN agency is calling for continued support to the most vulnerable farmers, while stressing the need to develop agriculture's economic potential.

Burundi's population is expected to rise from around 8.5 million today to 13 million in 2025. Ensuring local food production for a growing population will be a major challenge, as almost all the country's arable land is already being farmed.

"Most people eat what they grow, and don't have the means to buy food," says Angela Hinrichs, a Senior Operations Officer with FAO's Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division. "If nothing changes, this is a recipe for disaster."