An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Angola from 16 May–5 June 2004. The Mission’s objective was to assess 2004 crop production and cereal import requirements, including food aid, for the 2004/05 marketing year (April–March). The Mission also prepared recommendations concerning the rehabilitation of Angolan agriculture, a non-food needs assessment, and a vulnerability assessment. The Mission was briefed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), the...

An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Swaziland from 1 to 13 May 2004 to estimate the 2003/04 cereal harvest and import requirements – including food assistance – for the 2004/05 marketing year (April/March). The Mission received full cooperation from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC), Central Statistical Office (CSO) of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, the National Disaster Task Force...

On 11 February 2004, the Kingdom of Lesotho declared a state of emergency because of the high level of food insecurity in the country. The 2003 winter harvest failed after persistent droughts that have also caused severe water shortages. An appeal for food assistance has been made for more than one-quarter of the population. Against this background an FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Lesotho from 13–26 May...

Following four poor harvests in southern provinces and parts of the central provinces caused by drought or floods, an FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) visited all the production areas in the country from 29 April to 20 May 2004. The Mission evaluated food crop production in the 2003/04 agricultural season, assessed the overall food supply situation, forecast cereal import requirements and possible exports in marketing year 2004/05...

A late start to the rains in the south, followed by unsatisfactory rainfall distribution, prompted the Government of Malawi to request FAO and WFP to carry out an in-country assessment of the crop situation and food security prospects for the 2004/05 marketing year (April/March). An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Malawi from 25 April to 15 May 2004. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Food...

The 2004 FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) to Zimbabwe was curtailed; in country for 12 of the planned 19 days, visiting three of the country’s eight provinces. Based on fieldwork, information from many sources, including Government statistics, rainfall data, satellite imagery, extensive discussions with various industry experts, during and after the Mission, and previous experience in Zimbabwe CFSAMs, this year’s cereal production is estimated at just over...

The GIEWS Updates are issued by FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) from mid-2004. The updates focus on developing anomalous conditions aimed at providing early warnings, as well as latest and more elaborate information than other GIEWS regular reports on the food security situation of countries, at both national and sub-national levels.

FAO’s latest forecast of global cereal production in 2004 is 1 956 million tonnes, a substantial increase from the previous year. However, despite a modest expected rise in utilization, the new 2004/05 marketing season may lead to a fifth consecutive annual drawdown of global cereal stocks. FAO’s first forecast of global cereal trade in 2004/05 stands at 229.7 million tonnes, 3 percent down from the previous year. The decline mostly reflects,...

An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Sri Lanka from 7–26 March 2004 to assess the 2003/04 Maha crop harvest, forecast 2004 Yala production, and estimate cereal import requirements for the 2004 marketing year January/December), including anticipated commercial imports and unmet gaps compared to historical consumption levels.

A new European Union (EU) policy regime has been announced for cotton for introduction in 2005. The orientation is towards a scheme which includes a mix of coupled and decoupled measures, i.e., a mix of non trade-distorting (green box) and less trade-distorting (blue box) forms of farm support. These measures include a fully decoupled single farm payment (income aid) and an area payment (production aid). The aim of the present study...