FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 04/01 - CHAD (9 April)
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. Harvesting of berbéré (flood recessional sorghum) is underway, notably in Guéra and Salamat departments. Yields are lower than last year due to shortage of water and grain-eating birds attacks. A joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission estimated the 2000 cereal production at 890 000 tonnes, which is 28 percent below the 1999 record level and 16 percent below the previous five years’ average.
Following this reduced harvest, the food supply situation is tight in the structurally deficit areas of the Sahelian zone but some farmers’ stocks are still available following 1998 and 1999 bumper crops. Unusual population movements were reported from several cantons of Lac Department to major urban centres, southern Chad or the Lake Chad area. In the Sudanian Zone, the food situation is also worsening in the rice producing areas, notably in Mayo-Kebbi department. The cotton harvest in the south is also anticipated to be reduced, but groundnut production is good. Prices of millet increased in February in the Sahelian zone. Prices of rice also increased sharply in the major producing areas of the Sudanian zone. By contrast, prices of onions dropped as many farmers turned to growing this crop. The migration of livestock from the Sahelian zone could trigger overgrazing and a shortage of pasture in the Sudanian zone. A locallyorganized joint CILSS/FAO/WFP/FEWS-NET assessment of the food supply situation in the at-risk zones conducted in early January estimated the at-risk population at 800 000 persons for whom about 40 000 tonnes of cereals are needed. About 700 000 people are also considered moderately vulnerable. The sale of 20 000 tonnes of cereals at subsidised prices is recommended. A WFP Emergency Operation has recently been approved to provide 27 000 tonnes of food aid to 375 000 beneficiaries in eight departments of the Sahelian zone (Assonga, Bahr el Ghazal, Batha, Biltine, Guéra, Kanem, Lac and Ouaddaï).
Back
to menu