Chapter 14. An analysis of Maize value chain and competitiveness in BurkinaFaso 455
Food consumption in rural and urban populations of Burkina Faso showed contrasting patterns
between 1994 and 2003 according to household surveys by The National Institute for Statistics and
Demographics (INSD). Urban population showed a marked increase in consumption of meat, fruits and
vegetables, maize and drinks; but reduced consumption for traditional staples such as sorghum and
millet while rice consumption remained unchanged in percentage terms. For rural households similar
patterns were observed for some food items (meat, fruits and vegetables, maize) but were reversed for
others. Consumption of sorghum and millet actually increased in percentage terms while consump-
tion of drinks declined. Consumption of rice remained unchanged while the proportion of households
consuming vegetables oils slightly declined (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Expenditures shares in Burkinabe’s households’ food consumption
Source: National Institute for Statistics and Demographics (2003)
Figure 2. Expenditure shares in rural Burkinabe’s households’ food consumption
Source: National Institute for Statistics and Demographics (2003)
Today, the three main cereals (maize, sorghum and millet) account for 70 percent of consumers’ cereal
needs (including the needs for food and storage from institutions and poultry feed sector). Burkina Faso
is largely food secure in terms of aggregate “dry” cereals needs, except for rice (which heavily rely on
imports). The maize sector offers the greatest potential for food value-chain development and produc-
tion increases because of its multiple food derivatives, especially feed use for poultry.
0510152025(^30) Urban 1 994 Urban 2 003
(^)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40 Rural 1^994 Rural 2^003