Burkina Faso is a least-developed country with a population of 12.7 million in 2004. It is 175th out of the 177 countries listed in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2004 Human Development Report. An estimated 46.4 percent of the population live below the poverty line, mostly in rural areas.
Food insecurity affects 49 percent of the rural population. Malnutrition is chronic among 38.7 percent of children under 5; 40.3 percent are underweight and 18.6 percent are wasted. The gross school enrolment rate was 52.2 percent in 2003–2004, meaning that roughly one child out of two did not go to school. The literacy rate is estimated at 21.8 percent. Prevalence of HIV among pregnant women was 4.4 percent in 2002, making Burkina Faso one of the hardest-hit countries in West Africa.
The country programme for 2006–2010 is consistent with the Poverty Reduction Strategy adopted by the Government of Burkina Faso and with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework; it will contribute to achieving four of the seven UNDAF objectives by 2010:
In accordance with the Board’s decision 1999/EB.A/2, WFP’s development activities focus on five objectives, of which the present country programme addresses three:
The country programme also focuses on Strategic Objectives 2, 3 and 4 as defined in WFP’s Strategic Plan 2006–2009: protect livelihoods in crises and enhance resilience to shocks; support improved nutrition and health of children, mothers and other vulnerable people; and support access to education and reduce gender inequity.
The components will focus essentially on adult literacy and on promoting access to basic education, especially for women and girls. They will also address improving the nutrition and health status of undernourished children aged between 6 months and 5 years and of pregnant and lactating women and people infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. They will also enable sustainable livelihoods for rural populations and to reduce their vulnerability to natural disasters and food insecurity.
WFP assistance will reach an average of 373,000 beneficiaries a year. The components will focus on the geographic areas identified in the 2003 vulnerability analysis and mapping survey, characterized by structural food insecurity, particularly high rates of chronic malnutrition, low school enrolment and low literacy and attendance of health structures.
