Africa report 05/96 Individual countries

RWANDA

Area:	25 000 sq.km
Climate:	Highland rainy climate with moderate temperature (200C); two rainy seasons (February-May and September-November)
Population:	5.9 million (1995); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 200 (1993)
Specific characteristics of the country:	Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked country
Logistics:	Ports: Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); roads and railway
	connections inadequate
Major foodcrops:	Roots, tubers, pulses, plantains, sorghum, maize
Marketing year:	January/December; Lean season: November-December
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:	25 percent

CURRENT SITUATION

Widespread and abundant rainfall in recent months, which were excessive in western parts, improved overall growing conditions for the recently planted 1996 second season cereal and pulse crops and allowed favourable development of other foodcrops. The availability of agricultural inputs has improved following implementation of various agricultural rehabilitation projects. Despite favourable conditions, production is unlikely to improve much over poor levels in previous seasons due to population displacement and economic disruption caused by past civil strife. The number of returnees in the last quarter of 1995 and early 1996 fell far short of expectation in spite of efforts by the international community to promote voluntary repatriation. An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission in December estimated the output of the 1996 first season food crop at 1.8 million tons, some 25 percent above last year’s crop though still 18 percent lower than normal pre-war levels. Production of cereals increased by 18 percent to 73 000 tons and that of pulses by 56 percent to 117 000 tons. The outputs of root and tubers, and bananas also rose by 55 percent and 10 percent to 536 000 tons and 1 million tons respectively. The increase in production is mainly attributed to an increase in area planted due to a return to farming of displaced persons and refugees. It is estimated that about 1 million people will continue to rely on food aid assistance for the first half of 1996, including vulnerable groups and returnees. Food prices, which have fallen since the second half of 1995 in response to relative improvement in production and distribution of food aid, stabilized in February.

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

	Wheat	Rice	Coarse grains	Total
Normal production	10	6	276	292
Normal imports (incl. re-exports)	10	6	3	19
of which: Structural food aid	3	1	3	7
1996 Domestic availability	7	2	169	178
1996 Production	7	2	150	159
Possible stock drawdown	-	-	19	19
1996 Utilization	35	24	267	326
Food use	35	24	232	291
Non-food use	-	-	35	35
1996 Import Requirement	28	22	98	148
Anticipated commercial imports	10	8	2	20
Food aid needs	18	14	96	128
Current Aid Position
Food aid pledges	4	5	160	169
of which: Delivered	-	-	111	111
Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year)	4	3	29	36
Indexes
1996 production as % of normal:				54
1996 import requirement as % of normal:				-
1996 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs):				-

FAO/GIEWS - April 1996