Planting of the 1998 B season is completed. Growing conditions are favourable following abundant rains in the past months. However, widespread shortage of agricultural inputs, mainly seeds, together with insecurity in the western prefectures, have limited expansion in the area planted.
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission in January found that despite an increase of 14 percent in the 1998 A season food crop production over last year’s A season, the output in per caput terms reached only some 88 percent of precrisis levels. A one month delay in the onset of rains limited an otherwise significant expansion of cultivated area, while the ensuing excessive precipitation resulted in flooding in the valley marshlands and reduced yields of some crops. The Mission estimated food aid requirements for the first semester of 1998 at 82 000 tonnes of cereal equivalent. However, following crop losses due to heavy rains in January and February, a local Mission composed of the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO, WFP, FEWS, EU and SFC revised upwards this estimate to 102 000 tonnes. The poor condition of the road and rail transport system in the region are, however, seriously limiting food aid distribution.
Reflecting insufficient supplies, food prices continued to rise during February, aggravating the already precarious food security situation of the poorer segments of the population. Malnutrition among children under five remains at high levels and the situation is deteriorating among recent returnee populations.