08 May 2008

Ougadougou, Burkina Faso: Keeping food prices stable is a major challenge during the current global food crisis, but a UNV volunteer in Burkina Faso is using his logistics expertise to make sure stocks are in the right places at the right times.

Burkina Faso's food supplies are generally stable, but the food crisis has put pressure on the price of imported basics such as rice, sugar, milk and flour. Rising prices sparked riots in some areas in February 2008, so managing these supplies has assumed greater importance as the Government seeks to ensure access for the poor to essential supplies.

Amadou Tall of Mali is a statistician for the World Food Programme (WFP). In order to find the most efficient way to manage food contributions from donor nations, the UNV volunteer's primary responsibility is helping supply chain optimization.

This means continuously analyzing food stocks in order to identify possible future disruptions compared to identified needs; monitoring contributions to ensure food is available when needed most; and studying prices in different markets to identify the best options – not only in cost terms, but also to get the timing spot on for food distributions.

Mr. Tall also operates the Burkina end of COMPAS, a global system for monitoring and managing WFP food stocks. The country's entire logistical structure is programmed into a database, and every transaction point from entry ports to beneficiary sites is registered. The UNV volunteer can thus track all cargo en route in the supply and distribution chain, and provide a complete picture of food stocks and distribution to the WFP head office in Rome.

At present there are 35 UNV volunteers in Burkina Faso – 12 internationals, 11 national specialists and 12 in the national Community Exchange Programme. Amadou Tall has been working in the logistics section of the Burkina Faso WFP office since April 2007. His contribution and performance in keeping tabs on food – and thus helping prevent major price rises - is highly appreciated by the Burkina Faso WFP office, which has urged the UNV programme to prolong his contract for another year.

"Stable supplies of basic foodstuffs is important for social stability," says Mr. Tall. "It helps to ensure that people can afford and get access to nutrition. Logistics is a vital link."