BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Area: 230 000 sq.km
Climate: Tropical wet-dry; two rainy seasons in south and one in north
Population: 17.4 million (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 430 (1994)
Specific characteristics of the country: Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country
Logistics: Ports and roads inadequate
Major foodcrops: Roots and tubers, coarse grain, rice
Marketing year: October/September; Lean season: April-June
Share of cereals in total calorie intake: 27 percent
CURRENT SITUATION
Rains were light but widespread during the two first dekads of July. They were very weak in the north and stopped in the south during the last dekad. Rainfall resumed and was abundant in the north in early August and started to move towards the centre and the south during the second and third dekads of August, allowing the planting of the second maize crop. In the south, rice is about to be harvested. In the north, millet, sorghum and rice are heading/maturing.
There are approximately 71 000 Togolese refugees in Ghana, of whom 50 000 are expected to be repatriated in 1996, as well as about 16 000 Liberian refugees whose nutritional status is reported to be adequate. The cereal import requirement for 1996/97 is estimated at 285 000 tons mostly wheat and rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal production | - | 110 | 1 300 | 1 410 |
| Normal imports (incl. re-exports) | 160 | 120 | 20 | 300 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 50 | 50 | 15 | 115 |
| 1996/97 Domestic availability | - | 133 | 1 491 | 1 624 |
| 1996 Production | - | 133 | 1 471 | 1 604 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| 1996/97 Utilization | 175 | 233 | 1 501 | 1 909 |
| Food use | 172 | 223 | 1 161 | 1 556 |
| of which: Local purchase requirement | (-) | (-) | (3) | (3) |
| Non-food use | 3 | 10 | 320 | 333 |
| Possible stock build-up | - | - | 160 | 160 |
| Exports | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| 1996/97 Import Requirement | 175 | 100 | 10 | 285 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 130 | 80 | 10 | 220 |
| Food aid needs | 45 | 20 | - | 65 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 6 | 1 | 4 | 11 |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Donor-financed local purchases | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year) | 10 | 12 | 65 | 87 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1996 production as % of normal: | 114 | |||
| 1996/97 import requirement as % of normal: | 95 | |||
| 1996/97 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs): | 56 | |||