Burkina Faso
Note: The information below refers mainly to activities from the previous phase of the programme (2005 - 2009).
Programme Activities
Integrating Nutrition and Food Security Household-level Indicators into the National Food Security Information System
Support was provided to national institutions wishing to include nutrition and household food security indicators in their monitoring systems which are currently based on agricultural production and prices.
Specific activities included:
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facilitating the exchange of experiences between Burkina Faso and other countries with similar objectives. For example, two experts from the “Direction Générale des Prévisions et des Statistiques Agricoles” (DGPSA, Ministry of Agriculture) participated in an
international workshop organized by FAO in Nairobi in March 2007. At the workshop, they presented their
experiences in integrating nutrition and food access indicators into the food security information systems.
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building capacity in analyzing nutritional data and food security statistics thanks to a series of training events and workshops.
> Find out more about the training activities
- assessing the potential of
including several simple and reliable indicators in the national monitoring system – such as the Household Food Insecurity Scale and the Dietary Diversity Questionnaire - based on the results of the Nutritional Complementary Survey. The results were presented and discussed with key stakeholders during a national workshop in February 2008.
> More about the Nutrition Tools
Training in Deriving Food Consumption Statistics and Analyzing Food Insecurity
Experts from the “Institut National de la Statistique et de la Démographie” (INSD, Ministry of Finance), the DN and the DGPSA were trained in analyzing data related to food insecurity. The data came from the 2003 “Questionnaire des Indicateurs de Base du Bien-être” (QUIBB 2003).
The statistics will be used to:
- better assess, monitor and target food security policies and interventions;
- evaluate the impact of specific policies; and
- measure progress towards meeting targets for reducing food insecurity.
In February 2008, 40 representatives from key organizations participated in a
national seminar. Highlights included:
> More about the training in analysing food security and consumption statistics from household budget surveys (13/11–17/11 2006)
Producing Food Security Information Products (FSIPs) that are More Relevant for Decision-Making
A five-day training workshop was jointly organized with the DGPSA to assist food security analysts in improving information products such as reports, bulletins, newsletters, and websites. The overall aim of the workshop was to make these products more relevant for decision-making.
Participants included 30 analysts from the main institutions concerned with food security, including 12 focal points from the decentralized Early Warning System (EWS). Several decision-makers also presented their information needs and gave recommendations for better meeting them. At the end of the workshop, participants produced a final Plan of Action for producing effective and efficient information products.
The assessment carried out several months after the training showed major improvements in the publications (especially those from the DGPSA and SONAGESS and the agro-meteorological bulletins) analyzed during the training workshop. These now better meet the information needs of the target audience; have more succinct content; and include recommendations for action.
> Producing food security information products that result in action
(11/06 - 15/06 2007)
> More Information About the Content of the Training Course
> Interview with M. Mahama Zoungrana, Director General of the DGPSA, on Improving Food Security Information Products
A Digital Dynamic Food Security Atlas for Improving Coordination and Decision-making
In collaboration with the DGSPA and other national institutions, the programme is supporting the development - and further updating - of a Dynamic Food Security Atlas. The Digital Atlas will allow national and international organizations to retrieve timely information, including maps and other spatial and non-spatial information, on sectors related to food security.
A national consultation workshop was held in February 2007 with the aim of setting priorities – in particular for selecting the preliminary map layers. In addition, existing sectoral information systems were closely examined to identify the best data sources for the layers.
FAO held a series of training events and workshops aimed at:
- raising the awareness of national institutions involved in gathering food security
information of the importance of sharing their information;
- training staff from these institutions in managing and updating the Atlas; and
- building a prototype of the atlas.
A final ceremony, where the Dynamic Atlas was officially handed over to the Government of Burkina Faso, was held in October 2008. This Ceremony marked the end of FAO's assistance. The member institutions of the network are now responsible for developing and updating the atlas.
Memorandums of Understanding will be signed to establish specific agreements between the DGPSA and member institutions for sharing and exchanging data.
> More Information about the Official Ceremony
> More about the Training in using the Dynamic Atlas (September 2008)
> Press release
> Presentation of the prototype of the "Atlas dynamique sur la sécurité alimentaire au Burkina (ADYSA)" and training in using Dynamic Atlas and GeoNetwork (May 2008)
> Press release
> National Workshop on the Dynamic Atlas (February 2008)
