BURKINA FASO – Burkina Faso’s agricultural sector is anticipating a record cereal harvest for the 2024/2025 season, with production forecast to reach over 6 million tonnes.
This represents an 18% increase compared to the previous year’s yield of 5.1 million tonnes and a 21.4% rise above the five-year average. The announcement was made on December 5 by the Ministry of Agriculture during a Council of Ministers meeting.
The growth is attributed to favorable climatic conditions, with cumulative rainfall from April to October exceeding normal levels across much of the country.
However, localized deficits in some areas due to extreme weather underline the challenges of climate variability. The robust production is expected to generate a surplus, covering 111% of the nation’s cereal needs, compared to the 97% coverage achieved last year.
Key crops include sorghum, maize, millet, and rice, which form the dietary staples of the population.
Ismaël Sombié, Minister of Agriculture emphasized that ensuring accessibility remains a critical priority.
“The government is taking measures to prohibit the export of cereals, on the one hand, and on the other hand, to strengthen the capacities of the National Company for the Management of Food Security Stocks (SONAGESS) as well as price control,” the official revealed.
Recently, the Burkina Faso government dedicated 5,000 hectares to the production of wheat seeds for the 2024/2025 dry agricultural campaign, an ambitious move to enhance food security and reduce dependency on wheat imports.
This expansion builds on previous efforts to revive local wheat production, which began in earnest in 2023.
The government’s objective is to produce 6,500 tonnes of wheat by 2025, a target that could substantially decrease reliance on imports if achieved.
Despite Burkina Faso’s success, neighboring West African countries face contrasting outcomes.
According to the FAO, severe flooding and dry spells in parts of the Sahel have caused significant crop losses in countries like Mali and Nigeria.
Regional food insecurity remains a pressing issue, with up to 49.5 million people in West Africa projected to face acute food shortages during the lean season due to economic pressures and high food prices.
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