five years. The same trend was recorded for the other food crops and cash crops. The achievement of these results was made possible by the accompanying measures adopted by the Government and its Technical and Financial partners estimated at CFAF 13 billion, according to the Prime Minister (Address on 4 April 2013 on the State of the Nation). Finally, the substantial contribution of off-season crops in the production recorded is as follows : 17 166,5 tonnes of maize, 12 896 tonnes of rice, 348 tonnes of cowpea, about 80 000 tonnes of tubers and 70800 tonnes of market gardening production. 229. In order to improve this situation, the government increased the number of special shops in September 2013, by creating 140 new ones with the aim of controlling the price of rice and maize. Similarly, the social safety nets were also reinforced for the benefit of vulnerable groups with food support extended to 500 000 needy people in 45 provinces of the country. 230. The government has established within the Ministry of Social Welfare and National Solidarity, a national solidarity fund to lend support to vulnerable people such as women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities. A solidarity chart has also been adopted and it demonstrates the will for mutual assistance which is a fundamental value of the burkinabè society. In view of the recent crises (energy, food, financial, economic) and natural disasters, mainly the 2009 and 2010 floods, the government, with the support of the development partners established social programmes intended to mitigate the negative effects of these shocks on the population. These programmes centred mainly on subsidies for emergency neonatal obstetrical care, the extension of school canteens, the distribution of food coupons to highly deprived households, the sale of foodstuffs at subsidised prices. 231. The National Emergency Assistance and Rehabilitation Council (CONASUR) provides support especially in the form of food and material assistance for the survival of the population during human-induced natural disasters (fire outbreaks, inter-community conflicts, road accidents, etc.) and natural disasters (food crises, floods, violent storms, destruction caused by animals). The requests of poor people are also received and considered. Thus, in 2010, the Permanent Secretariat of CONASUR recorded three hundred and forty-five (345) requests for support from associations and groups of vulnerable people. Two hundred and forty-five (245) of these requests were met. In 2011, out of one hundred and forty (140) requests for support, seventy-six (76) were met. In 2012, sixty-five (65) requests were recorded and twenty-two (22) received positive responses. b) Measures taken by the State to protect the sources of food 232. Burkina Faso is a member of various international organisations (WTO, the International Plant Protection Convention, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and CEI). It is also a member of the ISO (International Standards Organisation) through the FASONORM and several other national frameworks which participate in the activities of these organisations. 233. At the sub-regional level, it is UEMOA which organises, among others, the standardisation of technical and transnational procedures, processing, preservation, transportation of agricultural and agri-food products and services (Regulation No.03/2010/CM/UEMOA of 21 June 2010 establishing the standardisation plan for activities relating to accreditation, certification, standard-setting and metrology in the UEMOA countries). 58