Agriculture and Livestock Trade in Burkina Faso 2026

Gold gets the headlines, but farming and herding are what keep most of Burkina Faso at work. From cotton fields in the west to cattle markets in the north, the land economy feeds the country and sends goods to buyers across West Africa.

Farming is the backbone of the economy

The World Bank puts agriculture at about 80% of employment and roughly 18.5% of GDP. Most farms are small and rain-fed, and many households grow food first and sell what is left.

Cereals such as millet, sorghum, maize, rice and fonio cover about two-thirds of cultivated land and are the main staples. That leaves a smaller area for the crops that earn money.

Which crops earn export income?

Cotton. The main cash crop, and roughly 14% of the country’s exports according to the World Bank.
Sesame. One of the main crops sold abroad, alongside cotton and shea.
Shea nuts. Collected largely by women, and sold as nuts or processed into butter.
Cashews, groundnuts and soybeans. Smaller crops with room to grow.
Cowpeas, onions and mangoes. Important for local food supply and household income.

How big is livestock in Burkina Faso?

Very big. Government statistics from before the current conflict counted about 9.6 million cattle, 15 million goats and 10 million sheep, and put livestock at around 10% of GDP. Nearly 80% of rural people keep sheep and goats, which act as savings, insurance and a source of food.

Burkina Faso is also a net exporter of live animals to its coastal neighbours. Traders buy from herders, fatten animals near towns and move them south to markets in countries such as Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo. Much of this trade is informal, which is why official figures often understate it.

Where are the business opportunities?

Processing. Shea butter, cashew kernels, sesame oil and cotton products keep more value inside the country.
Animal feed. Feed runs short in the dry season, and demand for supplements and fodder keeps rising.
Meat processing and cold chain. Most livestock exports are still live animals. Slaughterhouses and refrigerated transport could capture more of the value.
Storage and transport. Warehouses and reliable trucking reduce losses between farm and market.
Irrigation and inputs. Seeds, tools and small irrigation systems help farmers get more from each hectare.

What challenges should you plan for?

Weather. Rain-fed farming means yields can swing from year to year.
Insecurity. Conflict in some regions has disrupted farming, herding and trade, and cattle theft has increased.
Informal trade. Many deals happen without contracts or records, so trust and local knowledge matter.
Distance to the sea. Burkina Faso is landlocked, so exports depend on transit through neighbouring ports.

Tips for buyers and investors

Work with cooperatives and established exporters instead of one-off intermediaries and ask about quality and traceability early. Plan around the seasons, since harvest timing and rainy-season roads affect deliveries. Start small, test a supplier with one shipment, then scale.