Between May and November 1997, civil strife severely disrupted food marketing activities and caused large-scale displacement of the population, especially from urban to rural areas. In March 1998, new civil disturbances interrupted rail traffic between Pointe Noire and Brazzaville, affecting food supply to the capital.
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment team, which visited the country as part of an inter-agency mission in January 1998, estimated that food production in cereal equivalent terms will fall short of utilization requirements in 1998 by 118 000 tonnes. Normally, such a deficit would be covered commercially as the country has the requisite import capacity. However, due to the disruption of trading activities particularly in Brazzaville, it is estimated that for 1998, commercial food imports will reach only 80 percent of the 1995/96 level which amounts to 72 000 tonnes. This leaves an import gap of 46 000 tonnes which is expected to be filled by a variety of coping mechanisms and food aid targeted at vulnerable groups such as IDPs, refugees, victims of floods, unaccompanied children and others. Food prices are high because of transport and marketing constraints.