Burundi Farmers Face Crisis Over FOMI Fertilizer Distribution Delays, Refund Issues

Bujumbura, October 27, 2026 — In Burundi, delays in fertilizer distribution by the company Fertilisants Organo-Minéraux Industries (FOMI), insufficient quantities, and difficulties in obtaining refunds for undelivered products are plunging farmers into uncertainty. While the A farming season has already begun and rains are favorable for planting, farmers are forced to sow their seeds without fertilizer, while food prices are becoming increasingly unaffordable for many households. This crisis raises fears of decreased yields and worsening food insecurity. Farmers block road in Matongo On Monday, October 26, farmers in the district of Matongo, in the province of Butanyerera, northern Burundi, protested against the distribution of fertilizers on the Bukeye-Kayanza road. The dispute centered on the sharing of a 25-kilogram bag between two recipients, a distribution deemed insufficient by the farmers. Traffic resumed around 2 p.m., after the arrival of a truck from Fertilisants Organo-Minéraux Industries (FOMI), which operates the only organo-mineral fertilizer production plant in Burundi. The trucks arrival allowed for steps to be taken to try to resolve the dispute. The governor of Butanyerera, Victor Segasago, acknowledged the protest and called on the farmers to remain calm. This incident illustrates the tensions caused by difficulties in accessing fertilizers, even though planting is already underway. In Musasa, planting begins without fertilizer In the Musasa zone—located in the Kiremba district of Butanyerera province—the rains have arrived, yet the fertilizers ordered by many farmers have still not arrived. Unable to wait any longer, some have decided to begin planting without them. In Ruhata village, a farmer explains that the soil is depleted and requires both mineral fertilizers and organic manure to produce a decent yield. Other farmers face a difficult dilemma : plant without fertilizer and risk a poor harvest, or wait for the supplies to arrive and risk missing the optimal planting window. Residents wait for FOMI fertilizers at a distribution point in Bubanza, in western Burundi, in October 2026, while the available quantities remain inadequate (SOS Médias Burundi) For these farmers, waiting for fertilizer could delay planting, while proceeding without it could jeopardize the harvest. Congolese refugees living in the Musasa camp are also affected. A refugee notes that they have no livestock to produce manure and must instead purchase compost in small quantities. For those farming on rented land, planting without fertilizer means investing in an uncertain harvest. Local officials acknowledge the delays, explaining that the quantities received fall far short of the actual need, forcing them to spread the limited supply among a large number of recipients. In Bubanza, the shortage fuels the black market In the Bubanza region of Bujumbura province, in western Burundi, farmers are decrying the insufficient quantities of fertilizer being distributed, as well as the difficulty in obtaining products for which they have already paid. Some report that recipients are receiving only a fraction of what they ordered, with no guarantee that the full amounts will ever be delivered. This situation has created an opening for black-market sellers, where prices are significantly higher than the subsidized rates. According to farmers, a kilogram of urea—officially sold for just over 1,300 Burundian francs—can cost more than 10,000 francs on the parallel market. Furthermore, farmers state that they are still awaiting refunds for payments made during previous agricultural seasons. These delays diminish their ability to purchase the inputs required for the current season. In Burunga, the refund issue further complicates the situation. In the Burunga province, in the south of the country, farmers from Rumonge, Bururi, and Matana report significant difficulties in recovering money paid for fertilizers that were never delivered during previous g