Area:
|
1 259 000 sq.km
|
Climate:
|
From north to south: arid, semi-arid and tropical wet-dry; rainy season: May-Oct.
|
Population:
|
7.56 million (2001 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$200 (1999)
|
Specific characteristics of the country:
|
Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked Sahelian country.
|
Logistics:
|
Roads inadequate during rainy season
|
Major foodcrops:
|
Millet and sorghum, roots and tubers, tree nuts
|
Marketing year:
|
November/October; Lean season: August-September
|
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
|
52 percent
|
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. Harvesting of berbéré (recessional sorghum) is underway, notably in Guéra and Salamat departments. Yields are lower than last year due to lack of water and grain-eating birds attacks. A joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission estimated the 2000 cereal production at 890 000 tonnes, which is 28 percent below the 1999 record level and 16 percent below the last five years average.
Following this reduced harvest, the food supply situation is tight in the structurally deficit zones of the Sahelian zone but farmers stocks are still available following 1998 and 1999 bumper crops. Unusual population movements were reported from several cantons of Lac Department to major urban centres, southern Chad or the Lake Chad area. In the Sudanian Zone, the food situation is also worsening in the rice producing areas, notably in Mayo-Kebbi department. The cotton harvest in the south is also anticipated to be reduced, but groundnut production is good. Prices of millet remained mostly stable in the Sahelian zone, except in Mongo area. By contrast, prices of rice increased sharply in the major producing areas of the Sudanian zone. The migration of livestock from the Sahelian zone could trigger overgrazing and a shortage of pasture in the Sudanian zone. A joint CILSS/FAO/WFP/FEWS-NET assessment of the food supply situation in the at-risk zones conducted in early January estimated the at-risk population at 800 000 persons for whom about 40 000 tonnes of cereals are needed. About 700 000 people are also considered moderately vulnerable. The sale of 20 000 tonnes of cereals at subsidised prices is recommended. A WFP Emergency Operation has recently been approved to provide 27 000 tonnes of food aid to 375 000 beneficiaries in eight departments of the Sahelian zone (Assonga, Bahr el Ghazal, Batha, Biltine, Guéra, Kanem, Lac and Ouaddaï).
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | 3 | 111 | 957 | 1 071 |
| Previous five years average imports | 56 | 9 | 8 | 73 |
| 2000/01 Domestic Availability | 10 | 67 | 979 | 1 056 |
| 2000 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 3 | 69 | 819 | 890 |
| 2000 Production (rice in milled terms) | 3 | 47 | 819 | 869 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 7 | 20 | 160 | 187 |
| 2000/01 Utilization | 70 | 77 | 994 | 1 141 |
| Food Use | 69 | 69 | 833 | 970 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | 5 | 5 |
| Non-food use | 1 | 8 | 154 | 163 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | 7 | 7 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2000/01 Import Requirement | 60 | 10 | 15 | 85 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 52 | 8 | 10 | 70 |
| Food aid needs | 8 | 2 | 5 | 15 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 9 | 9 | 110 | 128 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2000 production as % of average: | 83 | |||
| 2000/01 import requirement as % of average: | 116 |
