The growing season has started in the south. The first significant rains were registered in the extreme south in April. They progressed northwards and remained generally above normal during the two last dekads of May, allowing first planting of millet and sorghum to start in the south.
Seed availability is adequate following the 2002 average harvest. As recommanded by the National Early Warning System, subsidized sales of 8 000 tonnes of animal feed by the Government helped to arrest the deterioration in livestock condition caused by poor pastures. The pest situation is calm although a few adult Desert Locusts were reported near Gao and groups of grain-eating birds were reported in a few places during the last dekad of May.
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