Area:
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1 220 000 sq.km
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Climate:
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From north to south: arid, semi-arid and tropical wet-dry; rainy season: May-October
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Population:
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10.22 million (2000 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$ 250 (1998)
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Specific characteristics of the country:
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Low-income food-deficit country; land-locked sahelian country
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Logistics:
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Roads inadequate during rainy season; river transport important; rail link to Dakar (Senegal)
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Major foodcrops:
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Millet, sorghum, rice, maize
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Marketing year:
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November/October; Lean season: July-September
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Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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75 percent
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Seasonably dry conditions prevail. Harvesting of rice is underway in the Niger River areas where fish catches are also reported to be good (almost double compared to previous year). Prospects for off-season irrigated or recession crops are particularly favourable. Reflecting adequate growing conditions, the aggregate 1999 cereal production was estimated by a joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Mission last October at 2 951 700 tonnes (rice in paddy equivalent). This exceeds the previous 1998 record by 16 percent and is 28 percent above the five-year average. Production of rice increased by 13 percent and 41 percent respectively compared to 1998 and the average for the last five years, while coarse grains production increased by 17 percent and 23 percent respectively. Desert Locusts have been reported in the Timetrine area in December. About 1 700 hectares were treated out of 2 575 hectares infested. Locusts escaping control will concentrate in the remaining green areas of Adrar or move further north into southern Algeria.
Following two successive bumper crops, the overall food situation is satisfactory. Markets are well supplied and cereal prices declined sharply following harvest and are much lower than the previous years. There are good opportunities for local purchases and transfer of surplus cereals to neighbouring countries or even outside West Africa. The national early warning system (SAP) estimated that only 2 arrondissements out of the 173 it monitors in the centre and the north (namely Baye in the Bankass cercle and Diankabou in the Koro cercle), are moderately at risk of food shortages following floods which destroyed rice crops. Therefore, no food aid distributions or sales are required. The cereal import requirement for the 1999/2000 marketing year is estimated at 100 000 tonnes of wheat and rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal Production | 4 | 566 | 1 730 | 2 300 |
| Normal Imports | 50 | 50 | 5 | 105 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 10 | - | 2 | 12 |
| 1999/2000 Domestic Availability | 15 | 551 | 2 127 | 2 693 |
| 1999 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 15 | 810 | 2 127 | 2 952 |
| 1999 Production (rice in milled terms) | 15 | 551 | 2 127 | 2 693 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 1999/2000 Utilization | 65 | 601 | 2 127 | 2 793 |
| Food Use | 64 | 405 | 1 624 | 2 093 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | 10 | 10 |
| Non-food use | 1 | 105 | 333 | 439 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | 50 | 50 | 100 |
| Possible stock build up | - | 40 | 120 | 160 |
| 1999/2000 Import Requirement | 50 | 50 | - | 100 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 45 | 50 | - | 95 |
| Food aid needs | 5 | - | - | 5 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 3 | - | - | 3 |
| of which: Delivered | 3 | - | - | 3 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 6 | 40 | 159 | 205 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1999 production as % of normal: | 128 | |||
| 1999/2000 import requirement as % of normal: | 95 | |||
| 1999/2000 food aid requirement as % of normal: | 42 |
