Background
While economic growth in Burkina Faso has rebounded following the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country remains one of the poorest in the world. Poverty is widespread, with more than 43 percent of the population (more than 9 million people) living below the national poverty line, particularly in rural areas.
Since 2015, Burkina Faso has experienced a deteriorating security situation leading to mass internal displacement. The deterioration of the country’s security situation has furthermore sparked a major displacement crisis, with more than 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) according to latest official figures. The security situation has furthermore contributed to political instability, with two coup d’états in recent years.
Climate change is another key driver of the country’s increasing fragility and contributes to significant food insecurity. 5 out of 10 Burkinabe in rural areas have been affected at least once by droughts or irregular rainfall patterns in the previous three years. Climate change also contributes to the mutually reinforcing covariate shocks the country is facing and has significant immediate impact on households in addition to affecting poverty in the longer term. Overall, fragility, displacement, and climate change reinforce households’ vulnerability and food insecurity. During the 2023 lean season, roughly 3.4 million Burkinabe were estimated to be food insecure according to the Harmonized Framework (Cadre Harmonisé).
SASPP Activities
Burkina Faso’s SASPP activities are anchored in the Social Safety Net Project, known locally as ‘Burkina-Naong-Sa Ya’. The project’s objective is to establish the building blocks of an adaptive safety net system and increase access to safety nets to poor and vulnerable households The deterioration of the country’s security situation has furthermore sparked a major displacement crisis, with more than 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) according to latest official figures. The security situation has furthermore contributed to political instability, with two coup d’états in recent years.
Burkina Faso Social Safety Net Project
Project duration: Since Fiscal Year 2014
Financing:
- Initial financing of $50 million from IDA in FY14
- Additional financing of $6 million from the SASPP MDTF in FY17
- Additional financing in FY19 of $100 million from IDA and $10 million from the SASPP MDTF
- Additional financing in FY22 of $30 million from the SASPP MDTF
Following the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the World Bank Social Protection team assisted the Burkinabe government in the preparation of an emergency response to counter the economic impacts of the pandemic. This contributed to a quicker response. The WB also provided financial support to the government's shock-response through lean season assistance and a vertical expansion of the regular program. During the 2023 lean season, the social safety net supported more than 100,000 households by providing them with additional monthly transfers, in line with the national response plan. This was made possible by the third additional financing supported by the SASPP MDTF.