Area:
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741 000 sq.km
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Climate:
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Tropical wet-dry; rainy season: November-April
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Population:
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10.44 million (1999 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$ 330 (1998)
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Specific characteristics of the country:
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Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked country
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Logistics:
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Imports through Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); inadequate rail and road connections
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Major foodcrops:
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Maize, roots, tubers
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Marketing year:
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May/April; Lean season: March-May
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Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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70 percent
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Heavy flooding due to the overflow of the Zambezi River in early March made nearly 10,000 people homeless and resulted in the closure of roads in the river basin. Serious losses to maize and other crops, as well as to livestock are reported in the Lower Zambezi Valley, bordering Mozambique. Worst affected area is the Luangwa district. Emergency food assistance is being distributed to the affected population.
Despite the localized crop losses, the abundant rains since mid-February have benefited the main maize crop, affected by erratic precipitation earlier in the season. As a result, overall prospects for this year's cereal crop remain satisfactory.
Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
Normal Production | 53 | 14 | 1 348 | 1 415 |
Normal Imports | 35 | 4 | 65 | 104 |
of which: Structural food aid | 25 | - | 45 | 70 |
1999/2000 Domestic Availability | 100 | 13 | 951 | 1 064 |
1999 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 90 | 19 | 951 | 1 060 |
1999 Production (rice in milled terms) | 90 | 13 | 951 | 1 054 |
Possible stock drawdown | 10 | - | - | 10 |
1999/2000 Utilization | 141 | 36 | 1 321 | 1 498 |
Food Use | 135 | 34 | 1 095 | 1 264 |
of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | 6 | 6 |
Non-food use | 4 | 2 | 176 | 182 |
Exports or Re-exports | 2 | - | 50 | 52 |
Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
1999/2000 Import Requirement | 41 | 23 | 370 | 434 |
Anticipated commercial imports | 41 | 22 | 370 | 433 |
Food aid needs | - | 1 | - | 1 |
Current Aid Position | ||||
Food aid pledges | - | - | 4 | 4 |
of which: Delivered | - | - | 4 | 4 |
Donor-financed purchases | 2 | - | 56 | 58 |
of which: for local use | - | - | 6 | 6 |
for export | 2 | - | 50 | 52 |
Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 13 | 3 | 105 | 121 |
Indexes | ||||
1999 production as % of normal: | 75 | |||
1999/2000 import requirement as % of normal: | 417 | |||
1999/2000 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 1 |