An FAO Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Liberia from 28 November to 14 December 1996. Despite hostilities which continued in Liberia throughout 1996, the mission estimated that the rice crop in country was considerably larger in 1996 than it had been in 1995. This was largely due to improved security in the two main rice producing areas, which enabled various NGOs to distribute seeds and tools. 1996 paddy production is estimated to be about 95 000 tons or roughly 30 percent of production pre- war. Cassava is an important supplementary food to which farmers have switched.
The food supply situation has been particularly tight in 1996 in several areas not accessible to relief agencies. The team travelled to areas which had experienced serious famine in 1996, the most notable being Tubmanburg city in Bomi County, some 45 miles from the capital, Monrovia. A military blockade of the city is reckoned to have led to the deaths of some 4 000 people from starvation and disease. The overall security situation is expected to improve in 1997 as the peace process begins to take hold. The main road between Greenville and Zwedru was reopened in late November, allowing demobilization of the militia in the area as well as in Monrovia and ten other cities around the country. National elections are planned for May 1997. Improved security in country will be the first step in the revitalization of the Liberian economy that will include repatriation and resettlement of 768 000 Liberian refugees from abroad, resettlement of an equally large number of internally displaced persons as well as reconstruction of an economy ravaged by seven years of civil war. However, the security situation remains very volatile and uncertain this time, impeding progress toward both resettlement and economic growth.
While food aid received in 1996 was less than the level recommended by a similar Mission in late 1995, commercial rice imports were in line with projections and were substantially higher than the 1995 level (up to 35 000 tons from about 20 000 tons in 1995). Domestic availability of cereals in 1996 was 75 500 tons, while domestic utilization was 200 900 tons, leaving the deficit to be covered by imports and food aid of 135 100 tons. For 1997, taking into account a rise in population to 2 million people due to a partial return of refugees to Liberia and using a per caput consumption level equal to the last five years average, the projected cereal deficit will grow to about 166 000 tons. With cereal imports projected at 50 000 tons, the cereal food aid requirement is estimated at 116 000 tons.