FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - August 2002 p.40
| Area: | 582 000 sq km |
| Climate: | Eastern coast is tropical wet, the rest tropical wet-dry. Rainy season: October-March; tropical cyclones |
| Population: | 16.34 million (2002 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: US$250 (2000) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country |
| Logistics: | Dilapidated roads and lack of spare parts and tyres |
| Major foodcrops: | Rice, roots, tubers, maize, fruit |
| Marketing year: | April/March; Lean season: February/March |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 60 percent |
Excessive precipitation from a recent cyclone has disrupted the 2002 main paddy crop harvest, leading to concerns over both the quantity and quality of the crop. There are also concerns about disruption of the harvest due to effects of the political crisis of the past six months, mainly shortages of fuel for field operations. The paddy output is forecast at 2.4 million tonnes, down by 200 000 tonnes from 2001. However, a final assessment is still pending.
The tight food supply situation of the past months, with shortages of basic food and increasing food prices in the capital city, have eased with the solution of the political crisis. To assist the country in its economic recovery, international donors in late July pledged US$2.3 billion in aid over four years. In May, WFP extended its feeding scheme to the country's urban centres following reports of a sharp rise in malnutrition in children under five.
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | 9 | 2 495 | 164 | 2 668 |
| Previous five years average imports | 88 | 118 | 11 | 217 |
| 2002/03 Domestic Availability | 10 | 1 637 | 175 | 1 822 |
| 2002 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 10 | 2 400 | 170 | 2 580 |
| 2002 Production (rice in milled terms) | 10 | 1 632 | 170 | 1 812 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 2002/03 Utilization | 90 | 1 859 | 188 | 2 137 |
| Food use | 90 | 1 759 | 167 | 2 016 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | - | - |
| Non-food use | - | 100 | 21 | 121 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | - | - |
| Possible stock build up | - | - | - | - |
| 2002/03 Import Requirement | 80 | 222 | 13 | 315 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 78 | 220 | 10 | 308 |
| Food aid needs | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 15 | - | 15 |
| of which: delivered | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | - | - |
| of which: for local use | - | - | - | - |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 5 | 105 | 10 | 120 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2002 Production as % of average: | 97 | |||
| 2002/03 Import requirement as % of average: | 145 |