By Mathieu Bonkoungou

OUAGADOUGOU, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Hundreds of women queued up to receive food vouchers in Burkina Faso on Friday under a scheme the U.N. World Food Programme says is a first in Africa and it will boost business for local markets.

The scheme launched in the capital Ouagadougou, where there is no shortage of food in the shops but price rises of 25 percent or more in the past year have put some staples out of the reach of the poorest people.

"I've just received maize, soap and cooking oil. I'm very happy. It will last at least two weeks, so my husband, two children and I will not go hungry for a while," said Rasmata Compaore, carrying a baby in a colourful wrap on her back.

The scheme aims to help 120,000 people by distributing up to six 1,500 CFA franc ($3) vouchers per family per month, instead of the more traditional food distributions. Families have been screened to ensure help goes to the most needy.

The vouchers can be used to buy food at market prices from 40 registered shops, who can then recover their money through an arrangement the World Food Programme (WFP) has with local microfinance company MOCROFI, WFP said.

Some food aid operations in the past have been criticised for undermining local farming and retailers by shipping in food for free distribution, undercutting local suppliers.

WFP staff say much of the food the agency distributes in Africa is purchased on the continent, but the way markets for grains and other products are structured in many countries makes it difficult to buy stocks efficiently in the volumes required.

"We needed to find a way to help those who needed to eat and at the same time boost business for small shopkeepers," said Annalisa Conte, WFP resident director in the landlocked country, which remains deeply poor despite a vibrant agricultural sector.

Shopkeeper Alfred Vebamba said trade was brisk.

"It's good for us -- since yesterday more than 1,000 women have come to my shop. Since this morning we've sold 30 of these 100 kg sacks of maize," he told Reuters in the baking heat of his roadside store.

While vouchers were handed out on Friday, a group of women stood nearby, worried that despite registering for the scheme, their names were not on the final list.

"Maybe they thought we were not really poor, but that's just not true," said Alimata Tapsoba. "Here it's hard for everybody." (Writing by Alistair Thomson; Editing by David Lewis)

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