Area:
|
2.4 million sq.km
|
Climate:
|
From north to south, arid, semi-arid and tropical wet-dry. Rainy season: May-October
|
Population:
|
30.29 million (1999 estimate); GNP per caput: n.a.
|
Specific characteristics of the country:
|
Low-income food-deficit country; cereal production mainly in eastern and central areas.
|
Logistics:
|
Roads, railway and river transport inadequate
|
Major foodcrops:
|
Sorghum, millet, wheat, roots and tubers, oils
|
Marketing year:
|
November/October; Lean season: September-October
|
Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
|
51 percent
|
Planting of 1999 main season cereal crop is in progress in central and northern growing areas. Early prospects have improved with beneficial rains in July. Surveys on Desert Locust indicate that there were no significant developments and only low number are anticipated to appear in the summer breeding areas of northern Darfur, northern Kordofan, Kassala and northern Provinces.
In Southern Sudan, crop growing conditions are favoured by abundant rainfall in May and June. Pasture conditions are reported to be satisfactory in most regions, especially in the Upper Nile, which was flooded last year. Livestock are being brought back to the villages from seasonal swamps, which increased the availability of livestock products.
Food shortages are reported in a number of locations in southern parts of the country. Intensified civil conflict earlier in the year, particularly in Bahr El Ghazal, and a recent influx of returnees, which coincided with the lean period for local residents, has aggravated an already precarious food supply situation. However, relative peace in most other locations has helped continuing improvements and a decline in admissions to feeding centres. WFP delivered about 8 000 tonnes of food aid to southern areas in May, against a target of 9 500 tonnes. However, distributions were reduced for three months from June due to insufficient donor funding.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | 460 | 1 | 3 189 | 3 650 |
| Normal Imports | 450 | 10 | 130 | 590 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 250 | - | - | 250 |
| 1998/99 Domestic Availability | 265 | 2 | 5 126 | 5 393 |
| 1998 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 165 | 3 | 5 126 | 5 294 |
| 1998 Production (rice in milled terms) | 165 | 2 | 5 126 | 5 293 |
| Possible stock drawdown | 100 | - | - | 100 |
| 1998/99 Utilization | 715 | 27 | 5 151 | 5 893 |
| Food Use | 645 | 26 | 3 447 | 4 118 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | 150 | 150 |
| Non-food use | 70 | 1 | 935 | 1 006 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | 719 | 719 |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | 50 | 50 |
| 1998/99 Import Requirement | 450 | 25 | 25 | 500 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 450 | 25 | - | 475 |
| Food aid needs | - | - | 25 | 25 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 30 | 3 | 87 | 120 |
| of which: Delivered | 30 | 3 | 87 | 120 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | 17 | 17 |
| of which: for local use | - | - | 17 | 17 |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 21 | 1 | 114 | 136 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1998 production as % of normal: | 145 | |||
| 1998/99 import requirement as % of normal: | 85 | |||
| 1998/99 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 10 |
