Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ouagadougou (Fides Service) -Harvests in northern Burkina Faso will be 90% less because of an invasion of locusts. The situation is most serious in the province of Oudalan, which has borders with Mali and Niger. The worst invasion of locusts in the last 15 years combined with lack of rain has produced a serious food crisis in the province, which has a population of 161,000. The local economy is based on livestock and cereal production, millet, sorgo maize and rice. Even in good years, production is normally insufficient for the needs of the people.
In August swarms of locusts invaded an area of more than 100,000 hectares. Oudalan was the most affected province with 90% of the harvest destroyed. Harvest loss was also registered in Seno and Soum respectively 78% and 74%. According to the Burkina ministry for agriculture, last year the harvest in Oudalan was 58,419 tonnes whereas this year production is expected to be only 5.642 tonnes. In 2003, the four provinces of Burkina Faso which are part of the Sahel (Oudalan, Seno, Soum and Yagha) registered a bumper harvest of 248,261 tonnes but forecasts for this year 2004 are discouraging: only 80,786 tonnes. This means this year cereal production will meet the needs of barely 15% of the people in Oudalan province compared to 161% last year; in 2003 the local harvest in Seno province was 129% of the needs and in Soum 125%.
When harvests are poor in these regions, farmers have to sell animals to purchase food. Unfortunately lack of rain, which reduced water resources, forced the people to sell animals at a low prices in order to move further south. Lower livestock prices and less income for farmers corresponded with a rise in cereal prices. In July, 100kg of grain cost 15 dollars, at the beginning of November the price had risen to 24 dollars.
The Burkina government plans to supply 500,000 tonnes of food aid to the four affected provinces. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 20/11/2004 righe 34 parole 406)
