Between April and May 2026, around 1.77 million people in Burundi (14 percent of the analysed population) faced high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), including roughly 1.5 million people in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) and 220,000 people in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency). The Imbo Plain and the Northern Depressions were the worst-affected zones, each with about 20 percent of their population in Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse)

Approximately 1.17 million people (10 percent of the population analysed) in Burundi experienced Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of acute food insecurity between August and September 2025. The situation was driven by the combined impact of current macroeconomic conditions, climatic shocks, conflicts in cross-border areas, inflation, rising food and fuel prices, as well as currency depreciation and significant reductions in humanitarian assistance. The urban poor and low-income households in rural areas were most affected.
The situation is expected to deteriorate in the first projection period (October to December 2025), with approximately 15 percent of the population (1.8 million people) likely to experience Phase 3—an increase of 630,000 people compared to the current period. This deterioration in the food situation is projected due to the decrease or depletion of household food reserves, reduced livelihood opportunities, the expected further reduction in humanitarian food assistance, and the intensification of the macroeconomic crisis. Food prices are likely to reach high levels on the markets.