Burundi is a landlocked and densely populated country facing a myriad of socioeconomic hurdles. Over 70 percent of the population struggle to make ends meet and nearly 56 percent of children under 5 suffer from stunting (impaired growth due to malnutrition).

Food security is fragile due to a combination of factors, with over 1.9 million people at crisis levels according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. 

Burundi has received the largest number of refugees fleeing violence and insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 70,000 arriving since mid-February 2025. The World Food Programme (WFP) has doubled the number of refugees it is supporting to ensure desperate new arrivals have food. However, this is stretching humanitarian resources to the limit.

Recurring weather extremes lead to massive internal displacements and damage the livelihoods of a rural population that is highly dependent on subsistence farming for its food security. 

Economic challenges loom large, with the local currency continuously depreciating, inflation soaring and fuel shortages driving up the prices of essential food items.

WFP and partners supporting the government by providing humanitarian food assistance to the most vulnerable people and through resilience-building initiatives. WFP and the Government of Burundi are working to build a national home-grown school feeding programme that reaches all elementary schoolchildren by 2032.

What the World Food Programme is doing in Burundi

Crisis response
WFP is providing hot meals to over 60,000 new refugees fleeing the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on top of the food and cash-based assistance it was already providing to 60,000 refugees. WFP also distributes food and cash assistance to 25,000 returnees in transit centres. In addition, WFP provides a combination of unconditional food, e-vouchers and cash-based transfers to over 350,000 vulnerable people affected by climate shocks.
Prevention of malnutrition
WFP distributed specialized nutritious foods to over 47,000 women and children in 2023, including 31,000 children under 5, to treat moderate acute malnutrition. During lean seasons, WFP distributed cash-based transfers to around 7,850 vulnerable households.
School meals
WFP works with national and international institutions on the procurement of safe and nutritious food for the school-meals programme. This involves linking smallholder farmers directly to schools. WFP provides nutritious food to over 667,000 schoolchildren in 874 schools across 8 provinces in 2023. Our Safe Access to Fuel and Energy for Food security programme equips schools with facilities such as energy-efficient cooking stoves, kitchen shelters and water-collection points.
Sustainable food systems
WFP partners with the Government of Burundi to build the capacities of smallholder farmers in food systems. This includes training in handling and storage, boosting farmers’ household incomes through local purchases for home-grown school feeding, promoting agricultural digitization and extending hydroponics systems in schools and communities. In 2023, WFP supported 24,000 farmers who are members of cooperatives, across markets including maize, milk, beans and rice.
Capacity building
WFP strengthens the capacities of the Government, humanitarian organizations and other partners to reach vulnerable populations and respond to their needs. This involves providing logistics and supply chain services, emergency telecommunications, and information technology services to the humanitarian and development sectors.

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Partners and donors

Achieving Zero Hunger is the work of many. Our work in Burundi is made possible by the support and collaboration of our partners and donors, including:
Burundi Canada China European Union FEED

Operations in Burundi

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Contacts

Office

Avenue du Large 78, Immeuble CEPRODILIC B.P. 6735
Bujumbura
Burundi

Phone
+257 22 22 5621
Fax
+257 22 21 33 31
Email
WFP.Bujumbura@wfp.org
For media inquiries
WFP.Bujumbura@wfp.org
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