BURKINA FASO (21 February)
Seasonably dry conditions prevail. A joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission that visited the country in October 2002, estimated 2002 aggregate cereal production at 3.28 million tonnes (rice in paddy equivalent). This is five percent above last year’s level and markedly higher than the average for the last five years.
Reflecting this good harvest, the overall food supply situation is satisfactory. However, the return of thousands of Burkinabé from Côte d’Ivoire and the closing of the border between the two countries since September 2002 will adversely impact the food situation.