“Agriculture is mainly rainfed in Burkina Faso and dominated by small-scale farmers. The rainy season is May–October, but its duration decreases progressively from the southwest, resulting in only three months of rainfall in the north. Agriculture accounts for 40 percent of GDP and 60 percent of the country’s total exports. Sorghum and millet are the major staples, while cotton is the major cash crop. The percentage of the population in cities rose sharply in the mid-1970s, partly as a result of the 1972–1973 drought that pushed out many farm families. The share of GDP from agriculture has generally been 30–40 percent, declining between 1960 and the early 1980s and then again after 2000. The malnutrition rate for children under five years remains high. The population is projected to more than double by 2050, which will put severe pressure on the natural resource base and on public and social services.”
