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Area:
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230 000 sq.km
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|
Climate:
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Tropical wet-dry; two rainy seasons in south and one in north
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|
Population:
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20.75 million (2001 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$390 (1999)
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Specific characteristics of the country:
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Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country
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Logistics:
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Ports and roads inadequate
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|
Major foodcrops:
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Roots and tubers, coarse grain, rice
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|
Marketing year:
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January/December; Lean season: April-June
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|
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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27 percent
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First rains in the south in late February/early March permitted planting of the first maize crop. Precipitation was well above average from mid-March to mid-April. Rains decreased in late April and early May but improved in mid and late May. They remained below average in early June, except in the north. Well below-average rainfall was recorded in the second dekad of June, but precipitation became well above average during the third dekad and remained widespread in early July.
Reflecting poor harvests in several regions in 2000, the food supply situation is tight in some areas. The government announced its plans to halve its rice imports in 2001 by developing more than one million hectares of inland valleys for rice production. About 10 000 Liberian and up to 2 500 Sierra Leoneans refugees remain in the country.
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Wheat
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Rice
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Coarse grains
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Total
| |
|
Previous five years average production
|
-
|
213
|
1 536
|
1 749
|
|
Previous five years average imports
|
207
|
207
|
31
|
445
|
|
2001 Domestic Availability
|
-
|
142
|
1 536
|
1 679
|
|
2000 Production (rice in paddy terms)
|
-
|
213
|
1 536
|
1 750
|
|
2000 Production (rice in milled terms)
|
-
|
142
|
1 536
|
1 679
|
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Possible stock drawdown
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2001 Utilization
|
210
|
372
|
1 586
|
2 169
|
|
Food use
|
207
|
342
|
1 210
|
1 758
|
|
of which: local purchase requirement
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Non-food use
|
3
|
26
|
342
|
370
|
|
Exports or re-exports
|
-
|
5
|
5
|
10
|
|
Possible stock build up
|
-
|
-
|
30
|
30
|
|
2001 Import Requirement
|
210
|
230
|
50
|
490
|
|
Anticipated commercial imports
|
200
|
220
|
40
|
460
|
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Food aid needs
|
10
|
10
|
10
|
30
|
|
Current Aid Position
|
||||
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Food aid pledges
|
46
|
-
|
11
|
57
|
|
of which: delivered
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
4
|
|
Donor-financed purchases
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
of which: for local use
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
for export
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year)
|
10
|
17
|
58
|
85
|
|
Indexes
|
||||
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2000 Production as % of average:
|
100
| |||
|
2001 Import requirement as % of average:
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110
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