Burunga : the fertilizer crisis turns into a nightmare, farmers fear a food catastrophe

SOS Médias Burundi

Bururi, June 22, 2026 – While agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for a large portion of the rural population, farmers in the districts of Matana and Bururi, in Burunga province, in the south of the country, are facing a new fertilizer shortage. In several localities, farmers claim to have paid for inputs for several seasons without ever receiving them. This situation is fueling frustration, crop losses, and growing concerns about food security.

Fertilizers missing despite payments

In the Kajondi zone of ​​Matana district, residents are denouncing the absence of FOMI (Burundi Industrial Organo-Mineral Fertilizers) Imbura and Bagara fertilizers, essential for the production of maize, beans, and potatoes.

According to several testimonies gathered on site, this shortage is compounded by arrears in urea and dolomite fertilizers already paid for in advance for farming seasons A and B, but never delivered.

“We paid for these fertilizers a long time ago. The receipts were collected, but we never received the products,” says a farmer from Kajondi.

Several areas affected

The situation is not limited to a single locality. The Nyagasasa and Muramba zones in Matana district, as well as Bamba-Muzenga in Bururi district, are also affected by the same shortage.

In these regions, farmers say they face complete uncertainty regarding the availability of agricultural inputs.

“We have lost all hope of obtaining these fertilizers. We are wasting our time cultivating in the marshes while there is no fertilizer,” some residents lament.

For many, this situation is leading to a reduction in cultivated land and an expected decrease in agricultural yields.

Authorities acknowledge the difficulties

Administrative and agricultural authorities in the affected districts confirm the shortage. They indicate that available stocks were fully distributed during the C farming season, while provincial depots have not yet been replenished.

During a public broadcast with members of the government and journalists, Prime Minister Nestor Ntahontuye acknowledged the existence of these supply difficulties.

He explained that demand for fertilizers has increased sharply in recent years, while the FOMI company is facing a shortage of foreign currency, limiting the importation of raw materials needed for fertilizer production.

The head of government, however, assured that measures are underway to improve the availability of agricultural inputs.

A contested distribution system

Faced with recurring shortages, some farmers are calling for a reform of the fertilizer distribution system.

They believe that the current monopoly limits access to inputs and exacerbates supply disruptions.

According to them, opening the market to private operators would improve fertilizer availability and reduce delivery delays.

For the time being, no official decision has been announced regarding this proposal.

A crisis that extends beyond Burunga

The situation observed in Burunga is not an isolated case. In several regions of the country, farmers claim they have paid for fertilizers they have never received, sometimes for several farming seasons.

These repeated delays have contributed, according to producers, to lower yields and the weakening of national agricultural production.

A threat to food security

As the agricultural season continues, farmers fear that this new shortage will cause a significant drop in harvests.

In a country where the majority of the population depends on subsistence farming, the availability of inputs is considered a key factor in food security.

Farmers are calling on the authorities to guarantee a regular supply of fertilizers and to resolve the problems of unfulfilled deliveries.

For many, without swift intervention, the current situation could escalate into a broader food crisis in several rural areas of the country.