Social Change, New Food Habits and Food Price Volatility in Burkina Faso

Abstract

Food price volatility is at the core of many changes in people's livelihoods. Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world, and as such its population is hard hit by fluctuations in food prices. During our research in Kaya and Nessemtenga, northeast Burkina Faso, we found that in recent years people's food habits and way of life have changed. Notably, we observed an increase in the consumption of foods outside the home, which we see as a change in cultural habits resulting from the recurring increase in the price of basic goods.