Rains started in the south in March. They became particularly abundant in the south and the centre in mid-April and reached the extreme north in May, permitting land preparation and first plantings. Precipitation decreased in the south in early June.
The overall food supply situation is satisfactory except in the extreme north. A joint FAO/WFP assessment mission in late May estimated food aid needs at 19 000 tonnes for 80 000 families affected by poor crops due to drought, flooding or pest attacks in the north and extreme north provinces. Cereal imports for domestic use and re-export during the 2001 marketing year are estimated at 300 000 tonnes, mostly wheat and rice.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (11 June)
Precipitation was abundant in April, notably during the first dekad. Rains were well below average in early May but improved from mid-May, notably in the eastern half of the country. They remained widespread and abundant in early June.
Following successive good harvests, the food supply situation remains satisfactory. However, population movements from the capital have been reported following a coup attempt in late May. The cereal import requirement for the 2001 marketing year is estimated at 33 000 tonnes, mainly wheat.
CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF* (11 June)
The food supply situation continues to deteriorate due to persistent insecurity. Intensified fighting, particularly in eastern parts, has further disrupted all economic and agricultural activities and resulted in fresh waves of population displacements. The number of IDPs whose food and nutritional situation is critical is currently estimated at 2 million. Recent surveys conducted by non-governmental organisations indicated that up to 21 percent of the population is suffering from severe malnutrition in the eastern province of North-Kivu. The situation could deteriorate with an expected cassava crop failure in eastern parts due to pests and diseases. The food situation is also difficult in the main cities of the country, mainly Kinshasa with a population of 6-7 million. An FAO Mission last October estimated Kinshasa's food deficit in 2000 at 1 million tonnes. In general, factors constraining food supply to Kinshasa and other cities include the extreme state of disrepair of the road infrastructure; police/military harassment of shippers, traders and farmers; the cut-off of food supply from Equateur and Eastern Provinces; and the scarcity of fuel due to a shortage of foreign exchange.
Humanitarian assistance remains constrained by persistent insecurity and very poor road conditions. WFP plans to increase its distributions of food aid to cover 1.2 million people, including some 70 000 Angolan refugees, and has recently appealed for US$112 million for the relief operations.
After below-average rains in January and February, precipitation increased in early March and became particularly abundant from mid-March to mid-April. However, it decreased in May but remained generally widespread, except in the south.
The overall food supply situation has improved. All areas are now accessible to humanitarian agencies. The bulk of the estimated 810 000 people displaced by the civil war have returned to their homes. There are about 100 000 refugees from the Equateur province of DRC in northern areas, notably in Betou, near the border with the Central African Republic. There are also 7 000 Rwandan/Burundian refugees and 18 000 Angolan refugees. WFP launched a new Emergency Operation to assist 50 000 refugees from the DRC over a period of 6 months. It is also providing food to some 120 000 persons in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire and other main towns.
Abundant rains were registered during the second dekad of April. Precipitation remained widespread in May. The staple crops are sweet potatoes, cassava and plantains. The cereal import requirement for the 2001 marketing year is estimated at 10 000 tonnes of rice and wheat.
Precipitation was very abundant from mid-March to mid-April. Though it decreased in late April, it remained regular in May. The main foodcrops are cassava and plantains but some maize is also produced (around 25 000 tonnes). The country imports commercially the bulk of its cereal requirement, estimated at around 87 000 tonnes in 2001.