Area:
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582 000 sq.km
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Climate:
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Eastern coast is tropical wet, the rest tropical wet-dry. Rainy season: October-March; tropical cyclones
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Population:
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14.78 million (1999 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$ 260 (1998)
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Specific characteristics of the country:
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Low-income food-deficit country
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Logistics:
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Dilapidated roads and lack of spare parts and tyres
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Major foodcrops:
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Rice, roots, tubers, maize, fruit
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Marketing year:
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April/March; Lean season: February/March
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Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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60 percent
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Relief operations continue in Madagascar following Cyclones Eline on 17 February and Gloria on 2 March. Several villages remain isolated by floodwaters and by severe damage to transport infrastructure. Preliminary estimates indicate 10 000 people homeless and 560 000 affected to varying degrees. Worst affected areas are north and central parts of the East Coast including the areas around the cities of Andapa, Antalaha, Vatomandry and Mahanoro, as well as Belo-Tsiribihina and Morondava on the West Coast. The food situation in these areas is critical and there is urgent need of food and non-food assistance. The Government has appealed for international assistance to cope with the emergency.
A full assessment of crop losses and agricultural damage has not yet been undertaken, but preliminary indications point to almost total crop losses in low-lying areas. Serious damage to coffee plantations by heavy winds in the major growing areas of the eastern coast is reported, including those around Andapa/Samabava and Mahanoro. Banana, orange, avocado and cocoa trees have also been seriously affected. These cash crops play an important role in the food economies of farm families. Thousands of hectares of rice along the eastern coast strip north of Mahanoro, around Belo and Morondova on the western coast and around Antananarivo are completely flooded. The prolonged submersion and the siltation of the paddy fields could result in serious crop loss in these areas. Severe damage and losses of food stocks in households will further diminish food supplies.
The losses and yield reductions caused by the cyclones have worsened the already unfavourable prospects for the paddy crop, affected by earlier dry weather. Production is forecast to decline sharply from the good level of 1999 and the food supply situation is expected to tighten in the next marketing year.
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment will visit the country in mid-April, to assess the crop losses and the food supply situation and to estimate the country's cereal import requirements for 2000/01 (April/March), including food aid needs of the affected population.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | 7 | 2 476 | 152 | 2 635 |
| Normal Imports | 48 | 53 | 10 | 111 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 13 | 11 | 10 | 34 |
| 1999/2000 Domestic Availability | 9 | 1 792 | 164 | 1 965 |
| 1999 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 9 | 2 635 | 161 | 2 805 |
| 1999 Production (rice in milled terms) | 9 | 1 792 | 161 | 1 962 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| 1999/2000 Utilization | 89 | 1 877 | 169 | 2 135 |
| Food Use | 88 | 1 852 | 136 | 2 076 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| Non-food use | 1 | 10 | 23 | 34 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | 10 | 10 |
| Possible stock build up | - | 15 | - | 15 |
| 1999/2000 Import Requirement | 80 | 85 | 5 | 170 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 75 | 75 | 5 | 155 |
| Food aid needs | 5 | 10 | - | 15 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 4 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| of which: Delivered | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| of which: for local use | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 6 | 125 | 9 | 141 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1999 production as % of normal: | 106 | |||
| 1999/2000 import requirement as % of normal: | 153 | |||
| 1999/2000 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 44 |
