Burkina Faso, also known by its shorter name Burkina, is a landlocked country with borders that touch six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d’Ivoire to the southwest. The capital of Benin is Ouagadougou.
Burkina has a population of approximately 15.7 million people and a surface area of 274,200 square kilometres. Burkina was ranked 181 out of 187 countries by UNDP’s Human Development Index in 2011. The estimated GDP per capita in 2011 is US$1,500.
In Burkina Faso, 43.9% of the population lives below the poverty line and agriculture, the main contributor to the GDP, is vulnerable to external shocks. Burkina Faso faces many food security and nutrition challenges: 50% of households are food insecure, global acute malnutrition among children under five is above 10% and stunting among children under five is at nearly 30%. With high illiteracy rates, the country also faces large regional and gender disparities in primary school enrolment: 77.6 % overall in 2011-2012 , with 82.8 % for boys and 75 % for girls.
Burkina Faso has few natural resources, a weak industrial base and relies heavily on cotton and gold exports for revenue. The economy is barely diversified and largely dependent on the primary sector, which contributes to a third of GDP and generates 80 % of export revenue.
Roughly 90% of the population works in subsistence agriculture. Productivity in the agriculture sector is not increasing, partly because of poor access to agricultural inputs. Extensive agriculture degrades soils and depletes natural resources: by 2030, the potential for cultivation will be saturated. Livestock contributes to 20 % of export revenue and is fundamental to household food security, but the sector receives low investments. Hazards in terms of frequent floods and droughts compromise food security and livelihoods in rural communities.
Desertification in drought-prone areas is rapidly spreading. Furthermore, climate change is likely to influence the availability of water and pasture, exacerbating the vulnerability of pastoralists and farmers. As a result of all these constraints, the economy is vulnerable to external shocks. Annual population growth of 3 % increases the pressure on natural resources and prevents economic development and poverty reduction policies from achieving results.
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