2004年-世界发展银行全球_Burkina_Faso___Risk_and_Vulnerability_Assessment_90页_13mb

Burkina Faso Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Summary

Core Content

This report, Burkina Faso Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (Report No. 28144-BUR), provides an in-depth analysis of the socio-economic risks and vulnerabilities faced by the population of Burkina Faso, with a focus on rural households. It aims to support the Government in designing effective poverty reduction strategies and to assist the donor community and NGOs in developing targeted interventions.

Main Objectives of the Study

• Identify and measure the critical risks to which the population, especially the poor, is exposed.
• Assess the available risk management instruments and identify gaps in their effectiveness.
• Determine the priority actions needed to address these gaps.
• Provide policy perspectives on improving the risk management capabilities of vulnerable households through appropriate public action.

Key Findings

Macro-Level Vulnerability Sources

• Terms of trade decline for cotton.
• Conflict in neighboring countries.
• Weather shocks, especially droughts and floods.
• High dependence on international aid, which is inconsistent and insufficient.

Meso and Micro-Level Vulnerability Sources

• Drought and weather-induced shocks.
• Poor health of humans and animals.
• Exposure to pests.
• Lack of social capital.
• Risk of dropping out of school.
• Cultural practices such as early marriage, female genital mutilation, and child trafficking, which affect all households, rich and poor.

Quantitative Analysis

• The study used household data from 1994 and 1998 and preliminary data from the 2003 survey.
• A careful econometric analysis revealed that the observed increase in poverty may not be accurate due to seasonal factors, recall periods, and the method of updating the poverty line.
• The results indicated that smaller household size, better asset endowment, literacy, and proximity to schools and clinics are associated with reduced vulnerability.

Qualitative Analysis

• Conducted in four villages in a high-risk, dry region.
• Households primarily engaged in subsistence farming.
• Common coping strategies included:
  • Increasing the area under cultivation.
  • Better herding practices.
  • Borrowing from relatives or extended family.
  • Securing a second job or selling animals.
• Despite these strategies, households often failed to return to their initial standard of living after shocks due to the chronic and repetitive nature of the shocks and their impoverished condition.

Risk Management Programs

• The country has several publicly funded safety net programs, but they are limited in scope and effectiveness.
• Programs such as school meal programs and health initiatives are donor-funded and not consistently implemented.
• Microfinance programs and NGO-led initiatives exist for addressing food insecurity, child trafficking, and child labor.
• Weak institutional structures, poor targeting, and heavy reliance on external aid render these programs inadequate and uncertain.

Policy Recommendations

• A well-designed public workfare program.
• A conditional in-kind transfer program linked to school attendance or vaccination.
• A nutrition program.
• Better enforcement of laws against child labor and child trafficking.

Methodology and Data Sources

• The study used a combined quantitative-qualitative approach.
• Primary data sources:
  • Priority Surveys from 1994, 1998, and 2003.
  • Participatory surveys in four villages.
  • Inventory of existing safety net programs.
• Local and international collaboration was key, with the Burkina Team comprising government representatives, academics, and NGOs.

Limitations

• The absence of a panel data set limited the ability to analyze longitudinal poverty trends.
• The villages surveyed were not representative of the entire country but were chosen for their high vulnerability to weather shocks.

Conceptual Framework

• Social Risk Management (SRM) is a framework that categorizes risks into:

  • Natural risks (e.g., drought, floods).
  • Health risks (e.g., illness, epidemics).
  • Life-cycle risks (e.g., birth, old age).
  • Social risks (e.g., crime, violence).
  • Economic risks (e.g., unemployment, harvest failure).
  • Political risks (e.g., discrimination, political unrest).
  • Environmental risks (e.g., pollution, deforestation).

• Risk management strategies are divided into:

  • Prevention strategies (e.g., hygiene practices, labor market policies).
  • Mitigation strategies (e.g., asset pooling, insurance, property rights protection).
  • Coping strategies (e.g., migration, borrowing, public work programs).

• Vulnerability is defined as the probability of becoming or remaining poor in the future, and is a forward-looking measure that complements static poverty analysis.

Conclusion

The study emphasizes the need for improved data collection, better targeting, and stronger institutional frameworks to support effective risk management. It also highlights the importance of multi-sector approaches and participatory methods in designing policies that address the complex and dynamic nature of poverty and vulnerability in Burkina Faso.