FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report - August 1997

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Area:	28 000 sq.km
Climate:	Tropical wet climate
Population:	411 000 (1996 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 380 (1995)
Specific characteristics of the country:	Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country
Logistics:	Ports and roads inadequate
Major foodcrops:	Cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas
Marketing year:	January/December; Lean season: September-November
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:	12 percent

CURRENT SITUATION

Rains started in early March in the south and moved towards the north. Rainfall was abundant in April and the first half of May, decreased in the second half of the month and resumed in June. The staple foodcrops are sweet potatoes, cassava and plantains and the country annually imports some 10 000 tons of wheat and rice. The food aid requirement is estimated at 2 000 tons of wheat.

CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1997 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)

	Wheat	Rice	Coarse grains	Total
Normal Production	-	-	-	-
Normal Imports	5	5	-	10
of which: Structural food aid	2	2	-	4
1997 Domestic Availability	-	-	-	-
1996 Production (rice in paddy terms)	-	-	-	-
1996 Production (rice in milled terms)	-	-	-	-
Possible stock drawdown	-	-	-	-
1997 Utilization	5	5	-	10
Food Use	4	5	-	9
of which: local purchase requirement	-	-	-	-
Non-food use	-	-	-	-
Exports or Re-exports	-	-	-	-
Possible stock build up	1	-	-	1
1997 Import Requirement	5	5	-	10
Anticipated commercial imports	3	5	-	8
Food aid needs	2	-	-	2
Current Aid Position
Food aid pledges	1	1	-	2
of which: Delivered	-	-	-	-
Donor-financed purchases	-	-	-	-
of which: for local use	-	-	-	-
for export	-	-	-	-
Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year)	11	12	-	23
Indexes
1996 production as % of normal:				-
1997 import requirement as % of normal:				100
1997 food aid requirement as % of normal:				50