Area:
|
342 000 sq.km
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Climate:
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Tropical wet climate in north, tropical wet-dry in south with main rainy season in October-April
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Population:
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2.94 million (2000 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$ 690 (1998)
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Specific characteristics of the country:
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Low-income food-deficit country; tropical coastal country
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Logistics:
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Ports adequate; roads inadequate during rainy season
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Major foodcrops:
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Roots and tubers, fruit
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Marketing year:
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Jan./Dec.; Lean season: September-November
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Share of cereals in total calorie intake:
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19 percent
|
Following the December 1999 ceasefire between the government and opposition parties, peace now prevails throughout the country. It is estimated that some 600 000 people - out of an estimated 810 000 displaced by the war - have returned to their homes since the signing of the peace accord. In Brazzaville, the number of IDPs has declined rapidly as thousands of people move back to their home towns, as sites for displaced people close. The Mossendjo area of Niari region now hosts the country's largest remaining group of internally-displaced people, in a zone still under the control of "non-state actors". Over 50 000 IDPs are believed to be in need of assistance in Mossendjo. A one month airlift of relief supplies to northern Pool has been undertaken for distribution to affected populations. A feeding centre has been set up in Kindamba for severely malnourished people. Large parts of northern Pool have been inaccessible by road since last year because of the fighting, and tens of thousands of people had spent months hiding in the forest. About 40 000 refugees from DRC recently arrived in Liranga and Njoundou areas, about 500 km north of Brazzaville along the Congo and Ubangi rivers, following civil disturbances in northern DRC. They also include Congolese refugees who had moved to Equateur Province in DRC to escape fighting in Congo in 1999. The cereal import requirement for the 2000 marketing year is estimated at 140 000 tonnes, mostly wheat and rice.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | - | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Previous five years average imports | 88 | 28 | 5 | 121 |
| 2000 Domestic Availability | - | - | 4 | 4 |
| 1999 Production (rice in paddy terms) | - | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 1999 Production (rice in milled terms) | - | - | 4 | 4 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 2000 Utilization | 100 | 30 | 14 | 144 |
| Food Use | 98 | 24 | 12 | 134 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Exports or Re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | 4 | - | 4 |
| 2000 Import Requirement | 100 | 30 | 10 | 140 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 95 | 20 | 5 | 120 |
| Food aid needs | 5 | 10 | 5 | 20 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| of which: Delivered | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/Year) | 33 | 8 | 4 | 46 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1999 production as % of average: | 100 | |||
| 2000 import requirement as % of average: | 116 |
