FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - August 2002 p.39
| Area: | 97 750 sq km |
| Climate: | Southern half tropical wet, northern half tropical wet-dry; rainy season: March-November |
| Population: | 3.0 million (2002 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: n.a. |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country |
| Logistics: | Ports and roads adequate |
| Major foodcrops: | Rice, roots and tubers, oils |
| Marketing year: | January/December; Lean season: July-August |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 48 percent |
First rains were registered in early March in the south, becoming widespread in late March. However, precipitation remained generally below average until early July.
Following a deterioration of the general security situation, the Government declared a state of emergency on 8 February 2002, which was extended by the parliament in mid-May for six months.
Increasing clashes between Government forces and rebels in the north, north-west and central regions have displaced over 120 000 people. Some 40 000 Liberian refugees have streamed into Sierra Leone already this year, while 37 000 have fled to Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Moreover, some 39 000 Sierra Leoneans who had been living in camps in Liberia and 15 000 who had lived outside the camps returned home as fighting intensified. The farming season has been disrupted and many people are now dependent on food aid than before.
WFP is currently assisting at least 100 000 people throughout the country.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | - | 115 | - | 115 |
| Previous five years average imports | 61 | 101 | 17 | 179 |
| 2002 Domestic Availability | - | 94 | - | 94 |
| 2001 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 145 | - | 145 |
| 2001 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 94 | - | 94 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 2002 Utilization | 55 | 239 | 10 | 304 |
| Food use | 53 | 218 | 10 | 281 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 2 | 21 | - | 23 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2002 Import Requirement | 55 | 145 | 10 | 210 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 40 | 140 | - | 180 |
| Food aid needs | 15 | 5 | 10 | 30 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 7 | - | 2 | 8 |
| of which: delivered | 7 | - | 2 | 8 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 18 | 72 | 3 | 93 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2001 Production as % of average: | 126 | |||
| 2002 Import requirement as % of average: | 117 |