Reference Date: 05-December-2023

Cereal production in 2023 estimated at above‑average level

In southern bimodal rainfall areas, harvesting of the 2023 main season maize crop was completed last September. Weather conditions were generally favourable between March and July, supporting yields. Planting of the 2023 second season maize crop, for harvest from December onwards, concluded last September. Cumulative rainfall amounts received between August and mid‑November were generally above average, supporting crop establishment and development.

In northern unimodal rainfall areas, harvesting operations of the 2023 cereal crops were completed last November. In most producing areas, cumulative rainfall amounts between May and September were average to above average, supporting favourable production prospects.

The 2023 aggregate cereal production is forecast at about 1.5 million tonnes, nearly 5 percent above the previous year’s level and about 9 percent above the five‑year average, reflecting overall conducive weather conditions and the support by the government in terms of improving access to agricultural inputs and mechanization services.

Prices of sorghum higher year‑on‑year

Retail prices of locally produced sorghum rose seasonally by 15 to 30 percent between May and August 2023, while prices of local maize remained stable or registered slight increases (up to 7 percent) during the same period. In September and October 2023, prices of both sorghum and maize remained stable or registered seasonal declines. Prices of sorghum were between 10 and 30 percent above their yearly basis last October, while prices of maize were near or below their year‑earlier levels.

About 381 000 people acutely food insecure between October and December 2023

According to the November 2023 “Cadre Harmonisé” (CH) analysis, over 381 000 people (6 percent of the analyzed population) are projected to face acute food insecurity (CH Phase 3 [Crisis] and above) between October and December 2023. This is below the nearly 569 000 people estimated to be acutely food insecure during the same period in 2022.

About one‑third of the country’s acutely food insecure people is located in Savanes Region, where the government has extended a state of emergency until April 2024 due to the continuing spread of violence from central Sahel to the country’s northern areas. Attacks by non‑state armed groups have led to significant population displacement, while the worsening conflict in Burkina Faso has led to an influx of nearly 19 000 refugees, which has further increased humanitarian needs in northern areas. Insecurity also poses a threat to economic activities as the Savanes Region accounts for nearly 30 percent of domestic cotton production, one of the country’s main cash crops.

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/.