Burundi is emerging from more than a decade of socio-political conflict and faces significant food security and nutrition challenges. Out of 188 countries, Burundi is one of the poorest in the world, ranking 184th in the 2016 human development index. Other critical measures include:

• Burundi is the 9th worst food security crisis in the world
• It has the second lowest GDP of any country
• More than 65 percent of the population lives in poverty and more than 50 percent is chronically food insecure
• Chronic malnutrition costs the country $102 million dollars every year
• 56 percent of children are stunted
• One in three Burundians is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance
• Only 32 percent of Burundi’s children complete middleschool

A hilly landscape makes the country vulnerable to natural disasters, in particular droughts, floods and mudslides. The high population density contributes to competition over scarce natural resources. As a result of the demand for land, the poorest and most vulnerable populations—mainly women—generally depend on compromised lands and lack the capacity to cope with these severe climate shocks. Domestic food production is insufficient to meet the needs of the population, making the country vulnerable to economic changes and fluctuating agricultural prices. Added drivers of hunger include poor access to clean water, a lack of basic services such as healthcare and education, extreme gender inequality and a high prevalence of infectious diseases.

In 2015, following violent political protests and an attempted overthrow of the existing government, 400,000 Burundians fled their homes to nearby countries, including Rwanda and Tanzania. At the same time, more than 36,000 refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have arrived in Burundi seeking safety and food.