ReliefWeb

Highlights

• In March, WFP assisted 520,028 IDPs and members of host-families with general distributions of food or cashbased transfers and emergency school feeding activities.

• Throughout the lean season (June-August 2020), WFP plans to assist 1.125 million people including IDPs, host families and food insecure vulnerable people.

• WFP requires initially over USD 3.5 million for the implementation of its COVID-19 response.

• USD 65.5 million needed to support operations from May to October 2020. With current funding outlook, the lean season needs will be partially covered. WFP stresses the criticality of confirming contributions as soon as possible to ensure adequate procurement and pre-positioning considering current operational scenario.

In Numbers

2.2 million people affected (OCHA Humanitarian Response Plan – February 2020)

1.6 million people in need of food assistance (Cadre Harmonisé – March 2020)

2.15 million people projected to be in need during the 2020 lean season (June- August) (Cadre Harmonisé – March 2020) 848,329 internally displaced persons (CONASUR – 22 April 2020)

Situation Update

• Burkina Faso is facing an unprecedented food and nutritional security crisis. While COVID-19 adds another layer of vulnerability, people are in need of continued humanitarian – particularly food – assistance to reduce the risks of medium to long-term serious impacts on their lives. WFP Burkina Faso has chosen to adapt its country strategic plan (CSP) to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and prioritize the continuity and uninterrupted provision of food assistance to the WFP beneficiaries mainly consisting of IDPs, refugees and the poorest of the host population who are already facing shock from the civil conflicts and are particularly vulnerable to the pandemic. These beneficiaries are vulnerable to additional shocks and largely dependent on WFP’s food assistance to maintain a balanced diet that is required to boost the immune system.

• This situation is exacerbated by a security situation that is volatile. In April, a truckload of WFP commodities was highjacked by armed groups in the Est. Furthermore, access in the Sahel is becoming more restricted due to the intensification of security incidents. This includes Djibo where an embargo was limiting access to food and medical commodities. WFP has been working with the Government and the Humanitarian community to ensure that access to key vital commodities was ensured in the town. Dispatch of food to the area has resumed.

• As of 23 April 2020, 616 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Burkina Faso, with 41 deaths. Government has launched a response with the objective to contain the spread of the COVID-19, through isolation of suspected cases and treatment of confirmed cases.
Government has declared a state of emergency, closed it borders, imposed curfew (9PM to 4AM), introduced social distancing, banned grouping exceeding 50 people, suspended biometric registration, closed schools until end of April, and introduced a two-week closure of towns where COVID-19 cases have been reported.