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Rural poverty in Burundi At the heart of the African Great Lakes region, Burundi is ranked as the fourth least developed country in the world in terms of social welfare indicators. In 2002, seven out of ten Burundians were living below the poverty line. Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in 2002 was US$110, only half of pre-war levels. The country is now starting to rebuild itself after emerging from a long period of recurrent conflicts and ethnic and political rivalry. Between 1993 and 2000, an estimated 300,000 civilians were killed and 1.2 million fled from their homes to live in refugee camps or in exile Agriculture is the backbone of the country. It is the main source of livelihood for nine in ten Burundians. In 2004, the sector accounted for 51 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). But the fighting has been extremely disruptive. Although Burundi was traditionally self-sufficient in food production, since the latest conflict and because of recurrent droughts it has had to rely on food imports. The destruction or looting of crops and livestock, as well as general insecurity, have put rural Burundians under serious strains. Several regions have been receiving international food aid over the past few years. Who, why and where? The vast majority of Burundi’s poor people are small-scale subsistence farmers trying to recover from the conflict. They face many constraints. Because of population growth in this relatively small country, less fertile land is available. According to a study conducted by the World Food Programme in 2004, the level of food vulnerability is extremely high: 68 per cent of households risk food insecurity and 16 per cent face chronic food insecurity. The adverse effects of three years of drought, the expansion of crop pests and decreasing land productivity are most apparent in the eastern and northern regions. In those regions an estimated 100,000 households are at permanent risk of food insecurity and fragile nutritional conditions. The extremely high population density (about 270 inhabitants per km2, and up to 400 per km2 in the most densely populated areas) has contributed to greater food and resource scarcity in rural areas. As in neighbouring countries, the large number of men killed during the conflicts, and the rapid spread of HIV/Aids, have created many poorer and fragile households headed by women or minors, who have little access to non-agricultural resources. Poverty in rural areas is the result of:
Poor people in rural areas face an acute lack of basic social and economic infrastructure. Less than half of the population has access to safe water and 2 per cent to health services. Much of the health care system was destroyed during the fighting. Men’s life expectancy was down to 39 years in 2004, compared to 51 years before the conflict started. Source: IFAD |
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