Planting of the 1998/99 first season cereal crop is being delayed because of the lack of rains attributed to El Niño. The drought has contributed to a significantly large number of forest fires, and it is reported that more than 800 000 hectares of land have been seriously affected. Some precipitation was reported by the end of May but the rains were irregular and ill distributed. Assuming normal rains resume, plantings of maize, the main cereal, should increase significantly from last year when the crop was severely affected by drought. Food assistance is still distributed to the affected rural population and will be continued until this year’s first harvest.