| Area: | 465 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | months in south to 4 months in extreme north |
| Population: | 13.72 million (1998 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 650 (1995) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; coastal country |
| Logistics: | Ports and roads adequate; gateway to Chad |
| Major foodcrops: | Roots and tubers, coarse grains, fruit |
| Marketing year: | Jan./Dec.; Lean season: June-August |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 39 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
First rains were received in mid-February in the south. They progressed to the centre in mid-March and became abundant and widespread in April and May. They decreased somewhat in June but remained widespread. The main maize, rainfed rice, millet and sorghum crops are growing under generally favourable conditions.
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.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | 1 | 82 | 1 053 | 1 136 |
| Normal Imports | 200 | 40 | 15 | 255 |
| of which: Structural food aid | - | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 1998 Domestic Availability | 0 | 54 | 1 140 | 1 195 |
| 1997 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 0 | 80 | 1 080 | 1 160 |
| 1997 Production (rice in milled terms) | 0 | 54 | 1 080 | 1 135 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | 60 | 60 |
| 1998 Utilization | 210 | 94 | 1 150 | 1 455 |
| Food Use | 196 | 84 | 915 | 1196 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 4 | 10 | 225 | 239 |
| Exports or Re-exports | 10 | - | 10 | 20 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 Import Requirement | 210 | 40 | 10 | 260 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 210 | 38 | 5 | 253 |
| Food aid needs | - | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| 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) | 14 | 6 | 67 | 87 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1997 production as % of normal: | 102 | |||
| 1998 import requirement as % of normal: | 102 | |||
| 1998 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 175 |
