Area:
|
25 700 sq.km
|
Climate:
|
Highland rainy climate with moderate temperature (200C); two rainy seasons: Feb.-May and Sept.-Nov.
|
Population:
|
6.47 million (1999 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$ 140 (1998)
|
Specific characteristics of the country:
|
Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked country
|
Logistics:
|
Ports: Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); rail and road connections inadequate
|
Major foodcrops:
|
Pulses, plantains, roots, tubers, maize and sorghum
|
Marketing year:
|
January/December; Lean season: November-December
|
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
|
34 percent
|
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Burundi from 19 to 30 June 2000 to evaluate the second 2000 B season, forecast the minor third 2000 C season, and estimate the country's import and food aid requirements for 2000.
Insecurity continues to disrupt economic and agricultural activities. However, the Mission noticed a relative general improvement since the end of 1999, with the number of displaced people in camps decreasing from 821 000, or 13 percent of the total population, to 704 000, or 11 percent, by mid-2000. The Mission found that overall, rainfall during the 2000 B season was badly distributed with a premature cessation of precipitation in April. This affected the normal crop development and reduced considerably yields of pulses and cereals. The 2000 B season foodcrops production is estimated at about 1.7 million tonnes, representing a 3 percent decrease from both last year's B season and the past five-year average. Pulses and cereals experienced declines of 20 percent and 6 percent respectively. Root and tubers remained virtually unchanged from 1999. The northern provinces of Kirundo and Muyinga, and the Moso region, were the worst affected by severe dry weather.
Forecasting the small 2000 C crop season, the Mission provisionally forecasts total food production for 2000 at 3 472 000 tonnes, only slightly lower than the level of last year, but below the average of both the past five-year and the pre-crisis (1988-1993) period.
Import requirements in 2000 are estimated at 106 000 tonnes of cereals and 150 000 tonnes of pulses. Commercial imports are anticipated at an increased level of 50 000 tonnes of cereals and 40 000 tonnes of pulses respectively, leaving food aid requirements of 56 000 tonnes of cereals and 110 000 tonnes of pulses. Another 58 000 tonnes of cereals would be needed to cover the deficit in root and tubers and bananas/plantains. While these requirements are well in excess of realistic possibilities they put in evidence that production of food staples has failed to keep pace with the growth in population. As of 30 June 2000, emergency food aid distributed by WFP to the most severely affected population was only 55 percent of the estimated requirements for the first half of the year due to logistic and resource constraints. With planned distributions until the end of the year, emergency food aid assistance in 2000 will amount to 35 000 tonnes of cereals and 11 000 tonnes of pulses. The uncovered deficit of grains is therefore in the order of 21 000 tonnes of maize and 99 000 tonnes of pulses and that of root/tubers and bananas/plantains (in cereal equivalent) of 58 000 tonnes. A further reduction in per caput consumption and deterioration in nutritional status is anticipated.
There is serious concern for the food situation in the displacement camps and in the drought-affected provinces, where malnutrition rates are high. In the Kirundo province, 350 000 people face serious food shortages.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | 10 | 45 | 237 | 292 |
| Previous five years average imports | 21 | 4 | 28 | 53 |
| 2000 Domestic Availability | 13 | 63 | 180 | 256 |
| 2000 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 10 | 95 | 178 | 283 |
| 2000 Production (rice in milled terms) | 10 | 63 | 178 | 251 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 3 | - | 2 | 5 |
| 2000 Utilization | 38 | 63 | 261 | 362 |
| Food Use | 38 | 48 | 227 | 313 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | - | 10 | 34 | 44 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | 0 | - | 0 |
| Possible stock build up | - | 5 | - | 5 |
| 2000 Import Requirement | 25 | - | 81 | 106 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 20 | - | 30 | 50 |
| Food aid needs | 5 | - | 51 | 56 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 6 | 7 | 34 | 47 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2000 production as % of average: | 97 | |||
| 2000 import requirement as % of average: | 200 |
