Food Outlook is published by the Trade and Market Division of FAO under Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS). It is a biannual publication focusing on developments affecting global food and feed markets. Each report provides comprehensive assessments and short term forecasts for production, utilization, trade, stocks and prices on a commodity by commodity basis and includes feature articles on topical issues. Food Outlook maintains a close synergy with...

The outlook for global cereal supply in the 2013/14 marketing season remains generally favourable despite downward adjustments to forecasts for world cereal production and closing stocks. Export prices of maize dropped further in September mainly reflecting the positive outlook for the 2013 global output. Wheat prices remained relatively stable, while those of rice declined from most origins. Aggregate cereal imports of LIFDCs during 2013/14 are estimated to increase by some...

Avec l’invasion du Criquet migrateur malgache qui a débuté en 2012 et les conditions météorologiques irrégulières pendant la campagne agricole 2012/13 (octobre-juillet), une mission FAO/PAM d’évaluation des récoltes et de la sécurité alimentaire, bénéficiant du soutien technique et financier du FIDA ainsi que du Ministère de l’Agriculture, a été menée à Madagascar du 19 juin au 13 juillet. Ces appuis ont notamment permis d’étendre la couverture des enquêtes sur 20...

The FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance System (CCBS) is a database of annual supply and utilization balances for main cereals, covering all countries of the world. It has been maintained by FAO/GIEWS since 1980 and is updated on a continual basis. This statistical report, which is a subset of CCBS data, presents the current-year cereal supply and demand balances for all sub-Saharan African countries, highlighting cereal import and food aid requirements...

This book offers an in-depth analyses of value chain policies, past and present in West Africa. The book contains a large number of in-depth case studies of food value chains in particular countries, including traditional export commodities (cocoa, cotton), high value exports (mangoes, horticulture) and the most important staple food value chains (oil palm, rice, maize, sorghum and millet and cassava) in the region. It also contains a large number...

The publication discusses the characteristics of smallholder producers in food markets and the determinants of and constraints to their participation in food markets and food value chains. Upon this, the publication introduces the market arrangements and mechanisms necessary to facilitate smallholders’ participation. These solutions require key responsibility of the government as well as important roles of other market players and the private sector.

World cereal production is forecast to increase by about 7 percent in 2013, helping to replenish global inventories and raise expectations for more stable markets in 2013/14. International prices of wheat declined slightly in June with the onset of the 2013 harvests in the Northern Hemisphere. By contrast, maize prices increased, supported by continued tight global supplies. Export prices of rice showed mixed trends. Cereal imports of LIFDCs for 2013/14 are...

Seasonal rainfall in 2012/13 was better than in any of the previous five years, especially in the northern cereal-producing governorates. Relatively less area was planted to cereals, compared to the last ten years. Contributing factors include high costs of production, reduced input availability including labour, prevailing violence, related damage to farm equipment, and abandoned land. The area under irrigated cereal production also declined significantly owing to power cuts, and damage...

The FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance System (CCBS) is a database of annual supply and utilization balances for main cereals, covering all countries of the world. It has been maintained by FAO/GIEWS since 1980 and is updated on a continual basis. This statistical report, which is a subset of CCBS data, presents the current-year cereal supply and demand balances for all sub-Saharan African countries, highlighting cereal import and food aid requirements...