| Area: | 200 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | North-east is semi-arid, rest of the country is tropical wet-dry; main rainy period is March-October |
| Population: | 20.62 million (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 190 (1993) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country |
| Logistics: | Ports: Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); roads and railways inadequate |
| Major foodcrops: | Roots, tubers, plantains, pulses, maize, millet, sorghum |
| Marketing year: | January/December; Lean season: April-May |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 35 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Aggregate cereal production in 1995 is estimated some 4 percent above last year at a record of 2.1 million tons. Production of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plantains also increased from their previous year's volumes but that of cassava and beans declined.
Following a good harvest, the overall food supply situation is satisfactory. However, the food supply situation remains precarious in some northern, north-eastern and eastern areas, where crop production has been reduced for the second year in succession by shortages of seeds and delayed rains.
CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1995 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal production | 9 | 44 | 1 695 | 1 748 |
| Normal imports | 18 | - | 10 | 28 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 15 | - | 10 | 25 |
| 1995 Production | 9 | 54 | 2 020 | 2 083 |
| 1995 Utilization | 24 | 60 | 2 046 | 2 130 |
| Food use | 24 | 60 | 1 350 | 1 434 |
| of which: local purchase requirements | - | - | (31) | (31) |
| Non-food use | - | - | 376 | 376 |
| Exports | - | - | 300 | 300 |
| Possible stock build-up | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| 1995 Import Requirement | 15 | 6 | 26 | 47 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 10 | - | - | 10 |
| Food aid needs | 5 | 6 | 26 | 37 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 2 | 1 | 37 | 40 |
| of which: Delivered | 2 | 1 | 31 | 34 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | 51 | 51 |
| of which: for export | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| for local purchases | - | - | 31 | 31 |
| Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year) | 1 | 3 | 63 | 67 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1995 production as % of normal: | 119 | |||
| 1995 import requirement as % of normal: | 168 | |||
| 1995 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs): | 148 | |||