Rains started in the south in late March and progressed northwards in April, allowing land preparation and planting of the first maize crop. Seasonably dry conditions prevail in the extreme north.
Following a government appeal for international assistance to cover the needs of populations affected by a poor crop and attacks by African Migratory Locusts in late 1997, an emergency food operation has recently been approved by WFP to provide 6 000 tonnes of relief food to 210 000 people in the extreme north for a period of 3 months. The cereal import requirement for 1997/98 (July/June) is estimated at 250 000 tonnes of wheat and rice and 10 000 tonnes of coarse grains.