FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.3 - December 2002 p.49
| Area: | 25 000 sq km |
| Climate: | Highland rainy climate with moderate temperature (200C); two rainy seasons: February-May and September-November |
| Population: | 8.36 million (2002 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$220 (2001) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked country |
| Logistics: | Ports: Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); roads and railway inadequate |
| Major foodcrops: | Roots, tubers, pulses, plantains, sorghum, maize |
| Marketing year: | January/December; Lean season: November-December |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 25 percent |
Mostly dry weather from September to mid-October, particularly in areas of low and middle-altitude, delayed plantings of beans and maize of the 2003 A season and resulted in reductions in the area planted. Below-average precipitation in November, particularly in eastern parts have further affected crop development of both cereal and non-cereal crops. The harvest, normally towards the end of the year, is likely to decline from the good level of last year due to lower planting and yields.
Following a good harvest of the 2002 B season, markets are well supplied with basic staples sorghum, cassava and bananas, and prices remain stable. By contrast, prices of beans, production of which was reduced last season, have increased sharply in the past months. Despite the overall satisfactory food supply situation, a recent vulnerability assessment undertaken by WFP and other international agencies have found that 274 000 most vulnerable persons in chronically food deficit areas are in need of food assistance during the lean period from November to December.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | 5 | 11 | 203 | 219 |
| Previous five years average imports | 15 | 14 | 170 | 199 |
| 2002 Domestic Availability | 6 | 12 | 264 | 282 |
| 2002 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 6 | 18 | 249 | 273 |
| 2002 Production (rice in milled terms) | 6 | 12 | 249 | 267 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 15 | 15 |
| 2002 Utilization | 21 | 22 | 429 | 472 |
| Food use | 21 | 21 | 347 | 389 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | - | 1 | 82 | 83 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2002 Import Requirement | 15 | 10 | 165 | 190 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | - | - | 150 | 150 |
| Food aid needs | 15 | 10 | 15 | 40 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | 28 | 28 |
| of which: delivered | - | - | 25 | 25 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 2 | 2 | 40 | 45 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2002 Production as % of average: | 125 | |||
| 2002 Import requirement as % of average: | 95 |