FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2, August 1998 -

BURUNDI

CURRENT SITUATION

A recent FAO Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission to Burundi estimated the 1998 B season food production at about 1.85 million tonnes, an increase of 4 percent increase on last year’s season B. Cereals suffered a 1 percent decline, while pulses, roots and tubers, and bananas rose respectively by 7 percent, 5 percent and 4 percent. The season was characterized by an improvement in the security situation except in the western and southern provinces. This allowed some of the population in re-groupment camps to return to their hillside homes. Those who remained in camps have benefited from improved access to land owing to the location of new sites in close distance to their property. As a consequence, cultivated land has increased, particularly for tide-over crops. Rainfall in 1998 B season was adequate and well-distributed except in localized areas in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Crop growth and development were normal, but yields were constrained by poor seed quality and lack of fertilizers.

Prospects are promising for the small 1998 C crop season from July to September, mainly reflecting a good availability of fertilizers and the relatively calm security situation. The Mission forecasts 1998 C season harvests at around 1988-93 pre-crisis levels. This is well above 1997 C season food production, which was substantially reduced by floods at harvest time.

Total food output in 1998 is forecast at 3.68 million tonnes, or 15 percent above production in 1997 and about the same level as in the pre-crisis period. Food import requirements in 1998 are estimated at 42 000 tonnes of cereals and 69 000 tonnes of pulses. While, the food supply situation has improved with the satisfactory harvest of this season, it remains precarious with malnutrition still widespread in some parts of the country.