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| Western Africa High and rising food prices continue to affect consumers’ purchasing power and access to food across the subregion in spite of the various measures taken by governments. In Dakar, the capital of Senegal, the price of imported rice, the most important staple food, was 20 percent higher in April 2008 compared to the same period last year. In the same country, this number reached 43.1 percent in Diourbel and 47.1 percent in Tambacounda. In the central and eastern part of the subregion, which is less dependent on cereal imports from the international market the situation is not better: In Ouagadougou ( Burkina Faso), Bamako ( Mali) and Niamey ( Niger), the price of millet, the major staple in these countries, has increased by 33 percent, 33 percent and 24 percent respectively in early June 2008 compared to the same period last year. Over the same period the price of imported rice was up 87 percent, 39 percent and 13 percent respectively. The upward trend in cereal prices is likely to continue until new local harvests come to markets. The evolution of the food situation in the short term will depend heavily on the output of the cropping season which has just started. Area is likely to expand significantly driven by high prices and various measures taken to improve production including provision of seed and fertilizer subsidies. However, rainfall is still the major determinant of yield due to the limited extent of irrigated land. Although rains have been erratic so far across the subregion, precipitations are expected to improve in the coming months according to the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) and the Agrhymet Centre in their annual climate prediction exercise. For the Sahelian region, which receives about 80 percent of its annual precipitation in the months July-September, there is an increased probability this year of normal to above-normal rainfall. For coastal countries along the Gulf of Guinea, near normal rainfall is forecast. In the latter countries, the rainy season is now well established, and the main season maize crop is developing satisfactorily in the south and the centre while the single-season millet and sorghum are emerging in the north. In short, overall early crop prospects are favourable in West Africa and the current tight food situation is expected to ease somewhat from September on. |