FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.3 - December 2002 p.35
| Area: | 245 860 sq km |
| Climate: | Tropical wet-dry; rainy season: March/June to October/November |
| Population: | 7.57 million (2002 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$400 (2001) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; mountainous coastal country |
| Logistics: | Ports and roads inadequate |
| Major foodcrops: | Rice, roots and tubers, coarse grains |
| Marketing year: | January/December; Lean season: July-September |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 52 percent |
Following generally below-average rainfall until late October, harvest prospects are uncertain. However, the overall food supply situation is satisfactory reflecting satisfactory harvests in 2000 and 2001. Markets are well supplied.
The presence of a large refugee population and the persistent instability in the sub-region have exacted a heavy toll on the country. According to WFP, some 30 000 new Liberian refugees entered the country since the beginning of the year, of whom 80 percent were women and children. Following armed clashes in and around the country over the period September 2000 - March 2001, there are still some 82 000 IDPs, mainly concentrated in Kissigougou, Macenta and Gueckedou Prefectures. Approximately 45 000 Liberian refugees in camps are currently receiving WFP assistance. Some 5 000 Liberians are also being assisted by WFP outside the camps in areas close to the Guinean-Liberian border waiting for transfer to the camps by UNHCR. New refugees have entered Guinea from Côte d'Ivoire into the Kankan and N'Zérékoré regions.
Cereal import requirement for the 2002 marketing year is estimated at 337 000 tonnes.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | - | 769 | 215 | 984 |
| Previous five years average imports | 117 | 244 | 3 | 364 |
| 2002 Domestic Availability | 5 | 546 | 237 | 788 |
| 2001 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 789 | 237 | 1 026 |
| 2001 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 526 | 237 | 763 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 5 | 20 | - | 25 |
| 2002 Utilization | 115 | 761 | 249 | 1 125 |
| Food use | 112 | 636 | 196 | 943 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 3 | 115 | 45 | 164 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | 10 | - | 10 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | 8 | 8 |
| 2002 Import Requirement | 110 | 215 | 12 | 337 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 96 | 200 | - | 296 |
| Food aid needs | 14 | 15 | 12 | 41 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 14 | 15 | 12 | 41 |
| of which: delivered | 14 | 15 | 12 | 41 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 15 | 84 | 26 | 125 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2001 Production as % of average: | 104 | |||
| 2002 Import requirement as % of average: | 93 |