Area:
|
96 000 sq.km
|
Climate:
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Southern half tropical wet, northern half tropical wet-dry; rainy season: March-November
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Population:
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2.83 million (1999 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: n.a.
|
Specific characteristics of the country:
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Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country
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Logistics:
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Ports and roads adequate
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Major foodcrops:
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Rice, roots and tubers, oils
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Marketing year:
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January/December; Lean season: July-August
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Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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48 percent
|
Growing conditions are adequate since the beginning of the rainy season, and allow a good development of rice crop and tubers. Some occasional fighting occured in the north of the country and hampered agricultural activities and food aid deliveries. However, following improving security conditions, the 1999 crop is expected to be close or above last year's level.
Food assistance is delivered throughout almost the entire country and an improvement in the nutritional status of the population is reported but the country continues to rely mostly on humanitarian assistance. Food assistance is provided to about 250 000 IDPs and 95 000 refugees from Sierra Leone, out of an estimated 750 000 displaced people. Organised repatriation is underway for about 220 000 Liberian refugees remaining in neighbouring countries, and should be completed by the end of the year. On the basis of an estimated population of about 2.8 million in 1999, FAO estimates that Liberia will need to import 155 000 tonnes of cereals to meet its consumption requirements. Commercial imports are anticipated at 100 000 tonnes of rice and 5 000 tonnes of wheat. The remaining 50 000 tonnes will need to be covered by food aid, estimated at 30 000 tonnes of wheat and 20 000 tonnes of maize products such as maize meal and CSB for distribution to vulnerable displaced people. In mid July, 69 000 tonnes of food aid had been pledged, of which 63 000 tonnes had been delivered.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | - | 78 | 1 | 79 |
| Normal Imports | 35 | 70 | 40 | 145 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 25 | 5 | 40 | 70 |
| 1999 Domestic Availability | 11 | 148 | 1 | 160 |
| 1998 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 210 | 1 | 211 |
| 1998 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 140 | 1 | 141 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 11 | 8 | - | 19 |
| 1999 Utilization | 46 | 248 | 21 | 315 |
| Food Use | 44 | 223 | 20 | 287 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 2 | 25 | 0 | 27 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 Import Requirement | 35 | 100 | 20 | 155 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 5 | 100 | - | 105 |
| Food aid needs | 30 | - | 20 | 50 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 57 | - | 12 | 69 |
| of which: Delivered | 53 | - | 11 | 63 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 15 | 79 | 7 | 101 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1998 production as % of normal: | 267 | |||
| 1999 import requirement as % of normal: | 107 | |||
| 1999 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 71 |
