FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - August 2002 p.33
| Area: | 11 300 sq km |
| Climate: | Tropical wet-dry climate; rainy season: May-October |
| Population: | 1.50 million (2002 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$340 (2000) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; coastal Sahelian country |
| Logistics: | Port capacity and roads adequate |
| Major foodcrops: | Rice, millet and sorghum |
| Marketing year: | November/October; Lean season: July-September |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 63 percent |
Following above normal precipitation in mid-June which permitted the start of plantings, rains decreased during the last dekad and the weather remained mostly dry until early August. This dry spell may have affected recently planted crops and delayed transplanting of rice.
With three successive bumper crops in 1999, 2000 and 2001, the overall food supply situation is satisfactory. Cereal import requirement for the marketing year 2001/02 (November/October) is forecast at 124 000 tonnes.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | - | 29 | 104 | 133 |
| Previous five years average imports | 42 | 84 | 2 | 128 |
| 2001/02 Domestic Availability | 5 | 23 | 163 | 191 |
| 2001 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 36 | 163 | 199 |
| 2001 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 23 | 163 | 186 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 5 | - | - | 5 |
| 2001/02 Utilization | 45 | 105 | 165 | 315 |
| Food use | 29 | 91 | 122 | 242 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 1 | 5 | 28 | 33 |
| Exports or re-exports | 15 | 10 | - | 25 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | 15 | 15 |
| 2001/02 Import Requirement | 40 | 82 | 2 | 124 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 40 | 79 | - | 119 |
| Food aid needs | - | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| of which: delivered | - | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 19 | 60 | 81 | 161 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2001 Production as % of average: | 149 | |||
| 2001/02 Import requirement as % of average: | 97 |