2011年-世界发展银行全球_Burkina_Faso_-_Social_safety_nets_147页_2mb

Summary of Burkina Faso Social Safety Nets Report (No. 54491-BF)

Core Content

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the social safety net (SSN) system in Burkina Faso, highlighting the current state, challenges, and recommendations for improving its effectiveness in poverty reduction and social protection.

Main Findings

• Poverty and Vulnerability: Burkina Faso is a landlocked, poor country with a population of 15.8 million. Despite economic growth, poverty incidence remains high, with over 40% of the population living below the poverty line in 2008. The country is ranked 177th in the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2009. Chronic poverty and vulnerability to shocks (environmental, social, and economic) persist, especially in rural areas where poverty is more than twice as prevalent as in urban areas.

• Social Safety Net Coverage and Spending: Existing SSN programs have limited coverage and are mostly small-scale and temporary. From 2005 to 2009, SSN spending averaged 0.6% of GDP, with fuel subsidies accounting for a large portion. The coverage reached about 25% of the population, but most beneficiaries are only reached during crises. The impact of these programs is not well-documented due to a lack of monitoring and evaluation.

• Program Types: The five main categories of SSN programs are:

  • Cash and near-cash transfers
  • Food transfers (including subsidized food sales, targeted food distributions, nutrition programs, and school feeding)
  • Universal subsidies (food and fuel)
  • Public works
  • Fee waivers

• External Dependence: Since 2006, the financing of SSN programs has become increasingly donor-dependent, with external funding accounting for 69% of total SSN financing in 2008 and 76% in 2009. The government, on the other hand, focuses mainly on universal fuel subsidies.

• Targeting Issues: Most programs do not effectively target the poorest and most vulnerable populations. There are significant gaps in identifying and reaching these groups, and the benefits in many programs are too small to have a meaningful impact on consumption smoothing.

Main Programs

• Cash and Near-Cash Transfers: Three pilot programs were introduced in 2008, relying on external funding:
  • A pilot cash transfer program under CNLS-IST (expected results in late 2010)
  • Two food voucher programs under CRS and WFP
• Food Transfers:
  • Targeted subsidized food sales: Limited monitoring and evaluation result in lack of beneficiary data.
  • Targeted free food distributions: Implemented through CONASUR, WFP, and CRS. CONASUR helped about 44,000 people in 2008, WFP covered 36,000 beneficiaries in 2008/2009, and CRS assisted 14,000 vulnerable individuals annually.
• Nutrition Programs: Active in treating malnourished children under 5 and pregnant/lactating mothers. Despite efforts since 2003, coverage remains inadequate for achieving nutrition MDGs.
• School Feeding: A key component of SSN, aimed at improving food access and education outcomes. It has shown positive results in terms of food consumption.

Challenges

• Limited Coverage and Funding: SSN spending is too low (0.6% of GDP) to meet the needs of the population. The majority of the population remains without access to regular, predictable support.
• Weak Institutional Setup: There is no consolidated national social protection policy. Coordination between ministries is weak, and institutional capacity for SSN is underdeveloped.
• Lack of Monitoring and Evaluation: Most programs lack systematic data on their impact, making it difficult to assess effectiveness and inform policy decisions.
• Inefficient Targeting: Programs often fail to reach the most vulnerable, especially the poorest decile, due to poor targeting mechanisms.

Recommendations

• Consolidate National Social Protection Policy: The government should develop a comprehensive and consolidated national policy to guide SSN programs.
• Improve Targeting Mechanisms: Use more effective targeting approaches to ensure the poorest and most vulnerable are reached.
• Increase Government Funding: Reduce reliance on external financing and increase domestic budgetary allocations for SSN.
• Strengthen Monitoring and Evaluation: Implement robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track the impact of programs and guide future improvements.
• Scale Up Effective Programs: Focus on scaling up programs that have shown positive results, such as cash transfers and school feeding, and explore innovative approaches like food vouchers and fee waivers.

Key Information

• Government Actions: In 2010, a Joint Ministerial Committee on Social Protection was established to improve coordination and outline a national strategy.
• Strategic Importance: Social safety nets are critical for human capital development and crisis response, but their role in long-term poverty reduction is not well recognized in medium-term strategies.
• Impact Evaluation: The CNLS-IST project's impact evaluation on 3,900 households is expected in late 2010. The WFP program has shown efficient implementation and positive results in food consumption.
• Donor and Government Priorities: Donors focus on nutrition, while the government prioritizes universal fuel subsidies. This discrepancy needs to be addressed for more effective and inclusive programs.

Conclusion

The report underscores the need for a more efficient, comprehensive, and sustainable social safety net system in Burkina Faso to address persistent poverty and vulnerability. It recommends a shift towards better targeting, increased government investment, and improved institutional coordination to enhance the effectiveness of these programs and support the country's development goals, particularly the SCADD.