In the Sahel, social protection policies related to food security play a crucial role in improving the well-being of the population. Organizations working on food security in the region (farmer organizations as well as consumer organizations) can benefit from examining these policies and the concrete measures introduced, which can help to facilitate the design of response strategies and local development measures in crisis situations.

This report examines the functioning of the boutiques témoin network in Burkina Faso, a social protection measure which seeks to improve access to food. It notes some of the impacts of this measure on farmers, traders and local food reserves.

Boutiques témoin could be seen as complementary to other social protection measures with targeted beneficiaries; however, the lack of legal precision describing them suggests that the programme is also guided by political interests and is not part of a coordinated strategy.

The report suggests further investigation of the impact that the measure could have on grain producers and traders, in order to avoid adverse effects on the cereal sector. It invites the Burkina Faso government to review the effectiveness of the boutiques témoin programme and the resources allocated to it; to consider establishing selection criteria for the target population; to strengthen the links between the national reserves and small producers, as well as between the national reserves and local food reserves.