likely to influence food accessibility. In the event of a predictable shortfall, the National Buffer Stock Management Company (SONAGESS) takes it upon itself to build and manage the national buffer stock (SNS). The transportation of supplies to areas where food stocks have run out is the duty of the National Emergency Assistance and Rehabilitation Council (CONASUR), acting through the provincial and departmental emergency assistance councils. 55. According to the Minister responsible for Agriculture and Food Security (press conference of 19 February, 2013), the agricultural situation for 2012-2013 is generally satisfactory. Indeed, the actual production of cereals at the national level was 4,898,544 tonnes, representing an increase of 33.6% as against the previous season. However, although this performance is positive, it does not rule out an increase in the prices of agricultural products, with disastrous effects on the most ordinary households and people of the country’s 19 communes where cereal production is poor. 56. To confront this situation, efforts initiated by the government, following the food crisis the country experienced between 2008 and 2011, are being pursued in order to ensure that the most vulnerable people have access to products. For the future, the National Food Security Forecasting Committee came up with a few measures to improve the situation. Among these are the fast tracking of the rebuilding of the national stock and the intervention stock, the continuation of the “social price sales” in the communes at risk as well as the maintenance of the “pilot shops” in the cities of Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso in order to ease the chronic food difficulties in the urban and peri-urban areas. 57. In order to provide adequate answers to the concerns of the various social strata, the Government took the following measures in 2013: - opening of 140 pilot shops in order to control the prices of rice and maize; recruitment of 83,720 youths and women for labour-intensive work (HIMO) consolidation of the social nets to favour the vulnerable groups (food support to 500,000 deprived people in the 45 provinces, support to orphans and vulnerable children, integration of 2,000 street children and youth, management of the health needs of 3,690 older people and support to 1,125 individual projects of older persons, management of the health needs of 18,450 persons with disabilities through health benefit societies, support for the integrated management of the psycho-social health needs of 450 children with disabilities and support for 1,125 individual projects of persons with disabilities). 58. In the area of health, serious measures have been taken to ensure quality care in public health facilities, as well as access to medicines and medical treatment. Thus, a Central Essential Generic Medicine Procurement Agency was established (CA-MEG) in 1992 to put essential generic medicines at the disposal of non-profit-making public and private health facilities. To attain this objective, the CA-MEG set up 10 regional directorates. Pursuant to Law No. 007/94/ADP of 11 March, 1994 on the total removal of customs duties and taxes on essential generic medicines, all customs import duties and taxes on essential generic medicines have been removed. 59. Furthermore, the 1996 national pharmaceutical policy was revised in 2012, followed by its 2012-2016 strategic plan. The goal of the new policy is to provide the people with safe and effective essential generic medicines at affordable prices throughout the country. 20