The overall growing conditions for 1995 cereal crops were favourable in most coastal countries. An early start of the rainy season in late February/March in the south and late April/May in northern parts of the coastal countries, followed by regular and well distributed rains throughout the growing season, allowed good development of crops. Cumulative rainfall since the beginning of the season has been generally normal to above-normal and a good harvest is in prospect except in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The harvest of the first maize crop in late June and in July was good in the southern most coastal countries while above-average harvests of millet and sorghum (but below than last year's volume) were expected in the north except in Cameroon and Ghana where a bumper harvest is expected this year. The second maize crop planted as of early September is developing under favourable growing conditions. Heavy rains in early July over Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin, caused severe flooding and damaged infrastructures, notably in Accra. Rains also caused flooding in mid-September in the centre of Benin and Togo.

FAO first estimates for 1995 aggregate production of cereals for the nine coastal countries (which are not members of the CILSS), point to a record aggregate output of almost 22 million tons. These estimates, which are given in Table 3, are still preliminary and subject to revision to take into account the final outcome of the late planted and maturing crops yet to be harvested. Average to above average harvests are anticipated in all coastal countries, except Liberia and Sierra Leone. First estimates point to record cereal crops in Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria. Production remains close to last year record in Benin and Côte d'Ivoire. It decreased in Guinea but increased significantly in Togo. In Liberia, in spite of the beginning of a peace process in August, the security situation is still unstable. Civil war has seriously disrupted agricultural production and a very poor harvest is expected again. In some regions of Sierra Leone, the food supply situation remains also very tight, as a result of insecurity, low agricultural production and substantial population displacement throughout the country.

Table 3: Western African Countries - Cereal production 1987 to 1994 and preliminary forecast for 1995 (in thousands tons, gross basis with rice in paddy)

Country	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	Preliminary 1995 forecast	1995/ 1987-94(%)
Benin	402	557	564	546	587	608	628	649	640	108
Cameroon	719	930	901	842	1 001	905	970	920	1 186	128
Côte d'Ivoire	1 086	1 144	1 193	1 238	1 314	1 317	1 352	1 363	1 335 2/	104
Ghana	1 058	1 156	1 184	845	1 436	1 255	1 644	1 594	1 830	140
Guinea	801	755	668	751	872	935	964	978	850 2/	100
Liberia	288	298	280	100	109	102	50	25	25	18
Nigeria	13 553	13 307	13 819	13 733	13 059	12 734	14 719	14 505	15 000 2/	109
Sierra Leone	517	546	574	563	467	478	499	465	339	66
Togo	368	503	568	484	465	494	633	420	536	105
TOTAL 1/	18 800	19 200	19 800	19 100	19 300	18 800	21 500	20 900	21 700	110

Source: FAO

1/ Totals are rounded.
2/ FAO preliminary estimates based only on qualitative assessment of the growing season.

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