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Burundi + 1 more

WFP Burundi Country Brief, November 2024

Attachments

In Numbers

580,400 people assisted in November 2024

USD 1,174,334 cash transferred to refugees, people affected by climatic shocks, decentralized local food procurement for school feeding, social protection mechanisms and resilience-building programmes.

628 mt of food assistance distributed

USD 24.46 m six months net funding requirements (December 2024- May 2025)

Operational Updates

• Assistance to refugees: WFP provided food and nutrition assistance to 58,696 refugees and asylum seekers across five camps and one transit center, comprising 44 percent men and 56 percent women. Among them were 15,848 children (6-59 months) and 2,348 elderly individuals (60+ years). A total of 54,807 refugees in camps received hybrid rations of in-kind food and cash transfers, while 3,889 asylum seekers in transit centers were provided with hot meals during their stay, which typically lasts up to three days. In November, WFP distributed 304 mt of in-kind food and USD 505,508 in cash transfers. However, due to pipeline breaks, refugees received only 75 percent of the recommended daily rations.

Assistance to returnees: WFP provided 29 mt of in-kind assistance to 687 Burundian returnees, including 185 children. Support included hot meals during their stay at transit centers and cash-based transfers (CBT) to cover three months of food needs as part of a return package aimed at supporting their reintegration.

Assistance to those affected by climatic shocks: WFP distributed USD 82,212 via cash-based transfers to 5,040 people displaced by floods. This included IDPs from the flooded Gatumba district, relocated by the Government to the Mubimbi internally displaced persons’ (IDP) site, where conditions remain precarious.

Anticipatory action: In collaboration with Burundi's National Disaster Risk Management Platform, WFP organized a workshop on strengthening early warning systems. The workshop focused on risk knowledge, observation, monitoring and forecasting, communication, response capacities, and management and coordination during emergency operations. The workshop which brought Government officials, the Burundi Meteorological Agency (IGEBU), the Burundi Red Cross and some UN agencies provided participants with a deeper understanding of the information collection mechanisms necessary for developing and updating contingency plans.

• Additionally, in partnership with WFP Burundi, IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) organized a virtual training session aimed at strengthening the capacity of IGEBU to provide early warning information for droughts and floods. These two disasters, particularly in the northern regions of the country, are among the most significant challenges facing Burundi.

Treatment of moderate acute malnutrition: WFP supported 3,696 moderately malnourished children aged 6-59 months with 15 mt of specialized nutritious foods, across Cankuzo, Ruyigi, Muyinga, Ngozi, Kirundo and Rutana Provinces. Due to a shortage of SuperCereal Plus, moderately malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls could not receive treatment in November. Under the KfW-funded nutrition and resilience programme, 4,734 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls and 12,642 children 6-24 months received 44 mt of specialised nutritious foods to prevent stunting.

School Meals Programme: WFP provided school meals to 448,200 children, representing 64 percent of the total planned. The major implementation challenges include fuel shortages and maize quality issues. When possible, WFP is replacing maize with locally- sourced rice. In November, WFP distributed 236 mt of in-kind commodities, and disbursed USD 319,754 for local food purchases, sourcing commodities from local smallholder farmers and cooperatives.