MALI (12 October)
Although good rains fell from July through September, benefiting crops countrywide, harvest prospects remain bleak due to a deteriorating pest situation. Desert Locust swarms that were previously reported in the north, are now breeding in cereal producing areas in the south and the centre. Hopper bands are developing in Kayes, Koulikoro, Segou and Mopti, the main food baskets of the country, raising serious concerns over the food supply and economic outlooks. As of early September, only 10 percent of infested areas had been treated.
Mali accounts for almost 25 percent of the total Sahel cereal production. A severe locust impact will strongly affect food supply not only in the country but also in other neighbouring countries, particularly Mauritania. Large scale damage to crops may also have severe macroeconomic and poverty consequences, since cotton, which is the main foreign exchange earner of the country, is the main source of income for millions of farmers and contributes up to 45 percent to total exports. A joint FAO/CILSS/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission is currently in the country to estimate the 2004 cereal production and assess the impact of Desert Locusts on food security.