Reference Date: 23-June-2026

Favourable weather conditions for 2026 maize crop

The country’s main food crop is cassava, which is cultivated throughout the year in both northern and southern regions, depending on the rainy season. A limited quantity of cereals is also grown in the country, mainly maize, which is largely used to produce livestock feed. Planting of the 2026 secondary season maize crop, to be harvested in July, concluded in March under overall favourable weather conditions. According to satellite‑based imagery, precipitation amounts have been adequate and well distributed since December 2025 in most croplands, improving soil moisture levels. Harvesting of the 2026 main season maize crop finalized in January and the output is estimated at a near-average level, following overall beneficial weather conditions during the season, which had a positive impact on yields.

Cereal imports forecast at above‑average level in 2026

Domestic cereal production covers only a small portion of the consumption requirements and imports account for approximately 90 percent of the total cereal utilization. With a population of about 6 million, total cereal imports for the 2026 marketing year (January/December) are forecast at an above‑average level of 410 000 tonnes, including 260 000 tonnes of wheat and 100 000 tonnes of rice, reflecting the country’s strong import dependency and steady domestic demand.

National Gross domestic product (GDP) forecast to increase in 2026

The national economy is dominated by the petroleum sector, while agriculture contributes only to a small portion of the national GDP. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) , the national GDP growth was estimated at about 2.1 percent in 2024 and 2.4 percent in 2025, and it is forecast to rise by about 2.9 percent in 2026. The annual inflation rate was estimated at 3.1 percent in 2024 and 2.8 percent in 2025. In 2026, it is forecast to remain at a similar level, supported by stable demand conditions, while lower domestic food and import prices help ease overall price pressures.

Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

This brief was prepared using the following data/tools:
FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance Sheet (CCBS) https://www.fao.org/giews/data-tools/en/ .

FAO/GIEWS Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Tool https://fpma.fao.org/ .

FAO/GIEWS Earth Observation for Crop Monitoring https://www.fao.org/giews/earthobservation/ .

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) https://www.ipcinfo.org/ .