FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report 02/97

RWANDA

CURRENT SITUATION

An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Rwanda in December, assessed that there had been a significant increase in area planted under season A crops this year compared to last. In several prefectures, local authorities had begun allocating land belonging to absentee farmers to returnees from the 1959 exodus, or had rented land to relatives and neighbours of owners. In general, therefore, it is estimated that less than 10 percent of total arable land was left uncultivated this season.

Rains during season A (which started in September), have been irregular with notable deficiencies in central and southern prefectures and normal to excessive precipitation in the rest of the country. Dry conditions substantially lowered crop production in Gikongoro, Gitarama and parts of Butare and Kigali rural prefectures, whilst abundant rainfall elsewhere reduced prospective yields of beans, though it favoured cereals, roots and tubers. The output of bananas and plantains was also affected by localized losses due to heavy winds in important growing areas. Overall, production of season A cereals, root and tubers is estimated to be 23 percent above last year, while that of bananas and plantains is expected to increase slightly. However, the output of beans dropped 12 percent below last year. Despite an overall improvement, food production from the 1997 season A remains below the pre-civil strife average, due to lower cropped areas, low yields of pulses this season and crop losses in the prefectures affected by dry weather.

The reduction in bean production, the main first season crop, coupled with a sharp increase in demand from returning refugees in November/December has seriously aggravated the food situation in the country. Bean prices have risen sharply and are considerably higher than prevailing prices last year.

Taking into account the returnees from Zaire and Tanzania by the end of the year 1997, the food deficit for the first six months of 1997 is estimated at 30 000 tons of cereals, 45 000 tons of pulses, 124 000 tons of roots and tubers and 522 000 tons of bananas/plantains. In grain equivalent terms, the total deficit is estimated at 141 000 tons. As only a part of this requirement can be met through commercial imports the country will need substantial food assistance in 1997. Food aid requirements for the first half of the year are estimated at 81 000 tons of cereals and 33 000 of pulses, to cover needs of 2.571 million people, or one-third of the projected population. The number of beneficiaries includes recent returnees who were not engaged in farming during the 1997 A season, previous returnees who will have to leave farm areas they are presently occupying, and vulnerable groups including widows, elderly people living alone and orphans.

There is also an urgent need to provide recent returnees with seeds and agricultural tools.