Planting of the first maize crop is underway in the south and will progress northwards following the onset of the rains. The first official estimate of aggregate 2001 cereal production, mostly maize and sorghum, is 904 000 tonnes, some 100 000 tonnes lower than the record of the previous year but slightly above average.
The overall food supply situation remains satisfactory; markets are well supplied and prices have decreased slightly. Cereal imports for domestic use and re-exports during the 2002 marketing year are estimated at 144 000 tonnes including 14 000 tonnes of food aid.
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. The final 2001 production estimates released by the statistical services indicate that 2001 aggregate production of cereals reached a record of 3.11 million tonnes, 36 percent higher than the previous year and 28 percent above average
The overall food supply situation is satisfactory. Markets are well supplied. However, above-normal cereal prices have been reported and localized food shortages may persist in areas which harvested poor crops due to early cession of the rains.
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. Production of maize (virtually the only cereal produced in the country) in 2001 has been estimated by a joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission in mid-October at 18 680 tonnes. This is 23 percent lower than the previous year but some 5 000 tonnes higher than average. In early January 2002 the country experienced unseasonable heavy rains and floods which caused damage to infrastructure and farmland.
In anticipation of a tight food supply situation in several areas, the Government has appealed for international food assistance, as well as agricultural inputs.
Cereal import requirement in 2001/02 marketing year (November/October) is forecast at 93 000 tonnes, with food aid accounting for more than 50 percent. Pledges amount to 39 000 tonnes, of which 16 000 tonnes have been delivered so far.
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. Reflecting above-average rains in September, prospects for the secondary sorghum recession crop are good and pastures are abundant.
Following release of final production estimates by national statistical services, the aggregate 2001 cereal production is estimated at a record 1.32 million tonnes, 49 percent higher than the previous year and 24 percent above average.
As a result, the overall food supply situation is satisfactory, especially in the chronically food deficit areas in the Sahelian zone which harvested poor crops in 2000. However, some 143 000 people in the Sudanian zone are at risk of food shortages following floods that affected 144 000 hectares of arable land.
Import requirement of cereals (wheat and rice) in 2001/02 marketing year (November/October) is estimated at 68 000 tonnes, including 13 000 tonnes of food aid.
Planting of the first maize crop is underway in the south and progressing northwards with the arrival of the rains. The aggregate output of cereals (mostly maize and rice) in 2001 is estimated at 1.86 million tonnes, slightly more than the previous year and above average.
The overall food supply situation is satisfactory. The cereal import requirement for the 2002 marketing year is estimated at 1 025 000 tonnes, mainly rice and wheat. There are some 120 000 Liberian refugees still in the country, mainly in the west.
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. The country harvested a record cereal crop for the second consecutive year. A joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission estimated the aggregate 2001 cereal output at 198 600 tonnes, 13 percent above 2000 and 49 percent above the average of the last five years. The increase in production was due to generally favourable growing conditions and a significantly larger area planted to cereals. Increased production is also reported for the major cash crops. Groundnut output increased 8 percent to some 149 600 tonnes.
Following three consecutive years of bumper harvests, the overall food supply situation is satisfactory and markets are well supplied.
Cereal import requirement for the marketing year 2001/02 (November/October) is forecast at 123 000 tonnes.
In the early February, a joint FAO/WFP crop and food assessment mission visited Ghana where unusually dry weather conditions had affected crop production in the northern regions. The mission estimated the 2001 cereal production at 1.52 million tonnes, which is below average. However the overall food supply situation is close to normal as the reduction in production of cereals in northern regions will be covered by adequate availability of other foodcrops, anticipated commercial imports and food aid already pledged. Pasture and livestock conditions are only marginally worse than normal for the time of year.
The mission estimated total cereal import requirements in 2002 (January/December) at 461 200 tonnes including 89 000 tonnes of food aid. Worst affected areas and vulnerable groups will require food assistance estimated at about 5 000 tonnes to compensate for their reduced harvests.
The overall food supply situation is satisfactory following satisfactory harvests in 2000 and 2001. The first official estimate of aggregate 2001 cereal production is 1 026 000 tonnes, slightly lower than previous year but above average. Markets are well supplied, except in the south-east where recurrent rebel incursions from Sierra Leone have severely affected agricultural and marketing activities.
The presence of a large refugee population and the persistent instability in the sub-region have exacted a heavy toll on the country. Armed clashes in and around the country have also resulted in increasing numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Cereal import requirement for the 2002 marketing year is estimated at 330 000 tonnes.
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. A joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission estimated 2001 cereal production at some 164 000 tonnes, 3 percent lower than the previous year but 3 percent above average.
Cereal import requirement in 2001/02 (November/October) is forecast at 70 000 tonnes, including 10 000 tonnes of food aid.
The output of the 2001 paddy crop is estimated slightly above the 144 000 tonnes in the previous year, reflecting generally favourable weather conditions. However, following a deterioration of the general security situation, the Government declared a state of emergency on 8 February 2002.
Increasing hostilities between Government forces and rebels in the north, north-west and central regions have displaced over 100 000 people. It has also led to the repatriation of more than half of the 36 000 Sierra Leonean refugees. The farming season has been disrupted and many people are now dependent on food aid than before.
WFP is currently assisting 75 000 IDPs throughout the country.
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. Prospects for off-season irrigated or recession crops are favourable and pastures are abundant. Reflecting adequate growing conditions, the aggregate 2001 cereal production was estimated by a joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission at 2.87 million tonnes, 20 percent more than the previous year and significantly above average. Maize production almost doubled compared with 223 000 tonnes harvested in the previous year, while sorghum and paddy outputs increased by 17 percent and 13 percent respectively to 695 000 tonnes and 840 000 tonnes.
The overall food situation is satisfactory. Markets are well supplied and prices are stable. Import requirement in cereals in 2001/02 (November/October) is estimated at 90 000 tonnes, including 5 000 tonnes of wheat as food aid.
In Mauritania, a joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission in October 2001 estimated aggregate cereal production in 2001 at some 160 000 tonnes, lower than both the previous year and average. This decrease was mostly due to inadequate availability of irrigation water due to the low water level in the Senegal River which reached the flood level only in early September. By contrast, production in low-lying areas has increased compared to 2000 as all operational dams reached over 70 percent of capacity.
The tight food supply situation has been worsened by unseasonably heavy rains and cold weather which killed more than 120 000 head of livestock and damaged at least 6 000 tonnes of rice just harvested. Prices of cereals, which were already higher than a year ago, have risen considerably on most markets. WFP is currently assisting more than 300 000 people throughout the country.
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. Reflecting favourable growing conditions and availability of agricultural inputs, the final official aggregate 2001 cereal production is estimated at 3.11 million tonnes, 46 percent higher than the poor crop in the previous year and about one-third more than average. Most of the increase came from millet which rose by 0.75 million tonnes to 2.4 million tonnes.
The overall food supply situation is satisfactory. However, an untimely sharp rise in cereal prices on all markets across the country has been reported, which makes access to food difficult. The above-normal cereal prices are mainly due to activities of speculators and outflows to Nigeria.
Cereal import requirement in 2001/02 (November/October) is estimated at some 345 000 tonnes, almost half actual imports in the previous year.
Land preparation and the sowing of the first maize crop are underway in the south. Production of cereals (including rice in paddy terms) in 2001 is estimated at some 23 million tonnes, higher than both the previous year and the average.
The food supply situation is tight in several areas notably in the states of Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba as a result of communal conflicts. As these are some of the most important food producing areas, the adverse situation could seriously threaten national food security.
Unseasonably heavy rains and cold weather which affected the northern regions of Saint Louis and Louga between 9-11 January caused casualties and left thousands of people homeless. In addition, more than 2 000 hectares of arable land was damaged and an estimated 470 000 head of livestock died. Significant losses of food, including rice and vegetables, are also reported. On 17 January the Government launched an international appeal for assistance to meet the immediate needs of the population in the affected regions.
Overall, the food situation is satisfactory following above average 2001 cereal crop and substantial imports late last year. The markets are well supplied and prices of millet and sorghum have decreased with the arrival of fresh produce on the markets.
Cereal import requirements in 2001/02 (November/October) are forecast at 845 000 tonnes, some 50 000 tonnes less than actual imports in the previous year.
Cereal production in 2001 is estimated at 348 000 tonnes, reflecting increased plantings by returning refugees and farmers previously displaced, as well as improved conditions for the distribution of agricultural inputs.
In an effort to continue helping the country, a UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal was launched on 26 November 2001, including an agricultural component with five projects proposed by FAO to facilitate recovery of food production and reduce dependence on food aid.
Sierra Leone’s cereal import requirement for 2002 is estimated at 225 000 tonnes including 40 000 tonnes of food aid.
Planting of the first maize crop is underway in the south and will progress northwards following the arrival of the rains. Notwithstanding irregular rains during the entire growing season, the aggregate output of cereals in 2001 is estimated at about 0.7 million tonnes, which is average. The overall food supply situation is satisfactory.