RWANDA (28 July)
A recent joint Ministry of Agriculture/FAO/WFP/ FEWS NET Crop and Food Assessment Mission at local level, estimated foodcrops production of the 2003 B season at 904 000 tonnes of cereal-equivalents, 2 percent lower than last year, but 5 percent higher than in 2001 B. The start of the rainy season was delayed but subsequent precipitation was adequate for crops development. Despite the generally satisfactory national production, some areas were affected by planting reductions, mainly the Bugesera Region, Kigali Rural Province, where large numbers of households gathered a poor harvest. Food assistance is being provided to vulnerable groups in the region by the Government and humanitarian organizations. However, shortages in the WFP pipeline are negatively affecting the assistance operations. In addition to Bugesera, some other pockets of production shortfalls have been reported by the assessment Mission, mainly in Kibungo Province and the high altitude areas of Kibuye.