© WFP/Martine Perret
Burundi
A land-locked, low-income country in East Africa, Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 185th out of 189 countries in the 2019 Human Development Index. More than 65 percent of the population lives in poverty. Burundi has the highest hunger score and is the 9th food security crisis in the world, sharing similar levels with Somalia, according to the 2018 World Food Security Report. More than 50% of the population is chronically food insecure in a country where the total annual production of food would only cover for 55 days per person per year (FAO, Dec 2017). One in three Burundians is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
What the World Food Programme is doing in Burundi
Combating food insecurity and malnutrition
WFP provides immediate emergency assistance to those living in the most severely food-insecure areas. Working with the Government and other UN agencies, WFP helps strengthen the country’s own social protection system and capacity to cope with emergencies and supports the implementation of a national strategy to combat malnutrition and food insecurity through initiatives such as food fortification and climate adaptation.
Supporting smallholder farmers
WFP supports smallholder farmers with the aim of increasing the food security and incomes of poor rural households, particularly those run by women. WFP works to increase access to markets and finance, and helps to build systems that combine local smallholders’ produce and improve their management of it after harvesting.
Resilience building
WFP provides practical and strategic support for local development plans designed to help vulnerable communities build their resilience, strengthening their capacity to cope with and recover from crises. These activities include malnutrition prevention, establishing village savings and loan associations, providing school meals and widening education on family planning.
In focus
Burundi news releases
Go to pagePartners 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:Find out more about the state of food security in Burundi
Visit the food security analysis pageContacts
Bujumbura
Ave de Large Immeuble CEPRODILIC B.P. 6735
Phone: +257 22 22 5621
Fax: +257 22 21 33 31