Africa report 05/96 af605p.htm

ANGOLA

Area:	1 247 000 sq.km
Climate:	Coastal desert, south-west semi-arid, rest tropical wet-dry, with rains in Sept.-April
Population:	11.07 million (1996 estimate), G.N.P. per caput U.S.$ 970 (1990)
Specific characteristics of the country:	Low-income food-deficit country; infrastructure devastated by prolonged civil strife
Logistics:	Inadequate port, rail and road facilities
Major foodcrops:	Roots, tubers, maize, plantains
Marketing year:	April/March; Lean season: January-March
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:	35 percent

CURRENT SITUATION

Good rainfall and relative peace resulted in a sharp increase in area planted. Maize output is expected to exceed 300 000 tons which should lead to an above-average 1996 cereal harvest of some 430 000 tons. However, yields may be affected by input shortages in some regions as a result of continued transportation difficulties.Despite favourable crop prospects, the food supply situation remains very tight as domestic production is expected to cover less than half the country’s food needs in the 1996/97 marketing year. Due to prolonged civil strife, there are a large number of internally displaced people, including a significant portion of the agricultural labour force. This contributes to the country’s heavy dependency on external assistance including both food aid and the supply of required seeds and tools to sustain the current recovery process. Of 291 200 tons of food aid pledged by donors for the 1995/96 marketing year, 232 000 tons were delivered. For the 1996/97 marketing year, about 60 000 tons have been pledged and 22 000 tons delivered so far.An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission is currently visiting the country to review the outcome of the 1996 harvest and evaluate the food supply situation for 1996/97.

CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1996/97 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)

	Wheat	Rice	Coarse grains	Total
Normal production	3	2	330	335
Normal imports (incl. re-exports)	110	100	90	300
of which: Structural food aid	20	15	60	95
1996 Production	3	5	424	432
1996 Utilization	183	125	540	848
Food use	183	125	490	798
Non-food use	-	-	50	50
1996/97 Import Requirement	180	120	116	416
Anticipated commercial imports	80	60	60	200
Food aid needs	100	60	56	216
of which: Emergency	-	-	50	50
Current Aid Position
Food aid pledges	30	7	22	59
of which: Delivered	6	5	11	22
Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year)	17	12	45	74
Indexes
1996 production as % of normal:				129
1996/97 import requirement as % of normal:				139
1996/97 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs):				227

FAO/GIEWS - April 1996