World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

This bulletin provides information on price changes for the most commonly consumed staples and their potential impacts on the cost of the basic food basket.

The Special Focus series provide latest information on countries, regions or key initiatives that are of high importance and/or concern from a food security and humanitarian perspective.

Atypical drought conditions in the US causes wheat, maize and soya prices to soar (figure 1). According to data record-ed by the World Bank in July 2012, wheat increased by 50%, maize by 45% and soya by 30% since mid-June 2012. By contrast, rice prices remained stable until July 2012. Compared to the 5-year average, maize, soya and wheat increased by 59%, 44% and 31%, respectively, and rice increased only by 8%. A new bullish phase in inter-national markets could impact regional markets and the food access of West African households already affected by the current nutrition and food crisis.

The assessment relies on secondary data from national market information systems. Primary  data collection took place in May 2012 in a total of  42 markets in Burkina Faso (14 markets), Cote d’Ivoire (7 markets), Ghana (3 markets), Mali (15 markets) and Togo (3 markets).  Data collection tools included a market questionnaire, a trader questionnaire and a transporter questionnaire. Primary data collection did not take place in northern Mali due to insecurity.

Au Sahel Occidental, zone du Mali faisant frontière avec le Mali et la Mauritanie, la campagne agricole 2011/2012 a été caractérisée par une insuffisance et une inégale répartition des pluies, occasionnant une chute des productions agricoles et un déficit fourrager. Compte tenu des impacts de ces phénomènes sur les revenus des ménages, l’accès aux denrées alimentaires devient un enjeu majeur pour la sécurité alimentaire au Sahel Occidental. De plus, la zone entretient d’étroits liens commerciaux avec la Mauritanie, pays également touché par une forte chute de production céréalière ; on s’interroge sur le devenir du commerce céréalier dans cet espace transfrontalier. C’est afin de mieux cerner les perspectives du commerce que le CILSS et le PAM ont mené une enquête de marchés dans la zone.

The countries covered by the study include Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal. Fieldwork took place from May to December 2010.The study is based on analysis of secondary data from national market information systems. Meetings took place with producers, consumers, traders, and technical staff. Debriefing meetings took place with key stakeholders in the different countries.

The study aims to provide decision makers with baseline information on cross-border trade and food security, including market flow maps and an analysis of trader capacities and incentives. The study was sponsored by USAID and jointly carried out by CILSS, FAO, FEWS NET, WFP and national market information systems.

This bulletin provides members of the regional-level Food Security and Nutrition and decision-makers in West Africa with an overview of the food security situation, including the impliaction of international and sub-regional market trends. On West African ma

Analysis was set to identify missing or poor information on national markets , cross-border trade and variables underlying the pricing of products needed to food security of the Sahel.