FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - August 2002 p.62
| Area: | 387 000 sq km |
| Climate: | Centre and north-east tropical wet-dry; south and west semi-arid; rainy season: November-March |
| Population: | 13.02 million (2002 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$460 (2000) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Land-locked country; exporter and importer of grain |
| Logistics: | Exports and imports through Mozambique or South Africa |
| Major foodcrops: | Maize, wheat, millet, sorghum |
| Marketing year: | April/March; Lean season: February-April |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 66 percent |
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission estimated the 2002 maize output at 0.48 million tonnes, down by 67 percent on last year and by 77 percent on 1999/00. Production was adversely affected by drought between January and March, which wiped out crops in most parts of the country, coupled with land reform activities which disrupted agricultural production on large-scale commercial farms. Cereal import requirements for the marketing year 2002/03 (April/March) are estimated at an unprecedented level of 1.869 million tonnes, of which maize accounts for 91 percent or 1.705 million tonnes. Emergency food assistance in the amount of 705 000 tonnes of cereals is needed for approximately 6.074 million people as a result of insufficient production or income.
The food supply situation continues to deteriorate following the poor cereal crop of last year, the country’s financial difficulties to import and slow delivery of food aid. Shortages of basic food and non-food goods are reported in urban and rural areas.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | 285 | - | 1 889 | 2 174 |
| Previous five years average imports | 142 | 25 | 140 | 307 |
| 2002/03 Domestic Availability | 245 | 1 | 536 | 782 |
| 2002 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 150 | 2 | 536 | 688 |
| 2002 Production (rice in milled terms) | 150 | 1 | 536 | 687 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 95 | - | - | 95 |
| 2002/03 Utilization | 397 | 13 | 2 241 | 2 651 |
| Food use | 387 | 13 | 1 775 | 2 175 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 10 | - | 319 | 329 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | 147 | 147 |
| 2002/03 Import Requirement | 152 | 12 | 1 705 | 1 869 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | - | 12 | 450 | 462 |
| Food aid needs | 152 | - | 1 255 | 1 407 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | 110 | 110 |
| of which: delivered | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 29 | 1 | 133 | 163 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2002 Production as % of average: | 32 | |||
| 2002/03 Import requirement as % of average: | 609 |