| Area: | 54 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | Tropical wet-dry; two rainy seasons in south (March-June and October) and one in north |
| Population: | 4.31 million (1998 estimate) G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 310 (1995) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country |
| Logistics: | Ports and roads adequate; gateway to Burkina Faso and Niger |
| Major foodcrops: | Roots and tubers, coarse grains, fruit |
| Marketing year: | January/December; Lean season: April-July |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 40 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Limited rains occurred from late March in the south, and became abundant over the whole country in mid-April. Vegetation satellite images show that the start of the growing season has been quite late in the south and the centre, and the first maize crop was planted in April. Recently planted rainfed rice, and millet and sorghum crops are growing satisfactorily following limited, but widespread rainfall in May and June.
The food supply situation is satisfactory. The cereal import requirement for 1998 (January/December), is estimated at 88 000 tonnes of wheat and rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | - | 32 | 460 | 492 |
| Normal Imports | 50 | 60 | 10 | 120 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 5 | - | - | 5 |
| 1998 Domestic Availability | - | 47 | 648 | 695 |
| 1997 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 69 | 648 | 717 |
| 1997 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | 47 | 648 | 695 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 Utilization | 50 | 87 | 648 | 785 |
| Food Use | 46 | 63 | 405 | 514 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 2 | 14 | 188 | 204 |
| Exports or Re-exports | 2 | 10 | 35 | 47 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| 1998 Import Requirement | 50 1/ | 40 | - | 90 1/ |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 50 | 40 | - | 90 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | - | - |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | - | - |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | - | - |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 11 | 15 | 94 | 119 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1997 production as % of normal: | 146 | |||
| 1998 import requirement as % of normal: | 75 | |||
| 1998 food aid requirement as % of normal: | - |
