FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - August 2002 p.49
| Area: | 25 000 sq km |
| Climate: | Highland rainy climate with moderate temperature (200C); two rainy seasons: February-May and September-November |
| Population: | 8.36 million (2002 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$230 (2000) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked country |
| Logistics: | Ports: Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); roads and railway inadequate |
| Major foodcrops: | Roots, tubers, pulses, plantains, sorghum, maize |
| Marketing year: | January/December; Lean season: November-December |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 25 percent |
A final assessment of the recently harvested 2002 B season is not yet available. Abundant rains during the cropping season benefited root and tubers and banana crops, and theirs outputs are anticipated to be good. However, excessive precipitation in early May coupled with an early cessation of the rains, is likely to have reduced yields of beans and sorghum crops in high altitude areas. The output of the 2002 first season foodcrops was also satisfactory and about one-third higher than in the 2001 first season.
Prices of basic food remain at low levels and stable.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | 5 | 11 | 203 | 219 |
| Previous five years average imports | 15 | 14 | 170 | 199 |
| 2002 Domestic Availability | 6 | 12 | 264 | 282 |
| 2002 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 6 | 18 | 249 | 273 |
| 2002 Production (rice in milled terms) | 6 | 12 | 249 | 267 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 15 | 15 |
| 2002 Utilization | 21 | 22 | 429 | 472 |
| Food use | 21 | 21 | 347 | 389 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | - | 1 | 82 | 83 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2002 Import Requirement | 15 | 10 | 165 | 190 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | - | - | 150 | 150 |
| Food aid needs | 15 | 10 | 15 | 40 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | 16 | 16 |
| of which: delivered | - | - | 16 | 16 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 2 | 2 | 40 | 45 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2002 Production as % of average: | 125 | |||
| 2002 Import requirement as % of average: | 95 |