sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, per
capital consumption of imported
cereals grew at an annual rate of
3.9% from 1961-65 to 1984-88.
Meanwhile, per capital consumption
of traditional coarse grains, roots,
and tubers declined (Figure 2).

These trends are viewed with
alarm by many policy makers,
because increasing dependence on
imported cereals not only uses
valuable foreign exchange, but also
is perceived as a threat to national
food security. A few wealthier
countries in Africa can afford
commercial imports of cereals, but
many others rely heavily on food
aid. Despite obvious short-term
benefits, food aid is undesirable in
the long run whenever it depresses
domestic food production incen-
tives. The danger of depending
heavily on food aid is heightened by
the fact that major donors such as
the USA and the European Com-
munity recently have pledged to
restrain the overproduction of
cereal crops, especially wheat,
which has made large amounts of
food aid possible.

Hardly anyone questions the need
to revitalize food production in
Africa as a first step toward stimu-
lating economic growth. But how to
increase food production is not
always obvious, particularly in view
of the large and widening gap be-
tween the kinds of food that can be
produced and the kinds of food that
consumers prefer. Demand for
wheat and rice is increasing
throughout much of the continent,
yet climatic and economic factors
limit the production of these two


crops. At the same time, consump-
tion of millet, sorghum, roots, and
tubers is declining, even though
these crops are suited to local
production conditions.

That leaves maize. Maize produc-
tion and consumption patterns vary
greatly throughout sub-Saharan
Africa. In large parts of eastern and
southern Africa, maize is the
principal staple food, produced and
consumed by most farming house-
holds. While relatively less impor-
tant in western and central Africa,
maize still provides a major source
of calories, especially in parts of
Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, and Cote
d'Ivoire. But whatever its present
importance, maize clearly has
enormous potential, because


improved technologies offer the pos-
sibility of greatly increasing yields
and thus production.

This report examines the status of
maize in sub-Saharan Africa. To
provide a perspective on the per-
formance of maize in Africa, the
report begins with a review of
global and regional trends in the
production of the world's major
cereal crops. Subsequent sections
present a descriptive overview of
the maize economy of Africa,
focusing on production systems and
technologies, utilization patterns,
institutions, and policies. A discus-
sion of critical production con-
straints is followed by an assess-
ment of future prospects for maize
in Africa and priorities for
research.


(Kg/yr/capita)


1961


1966 1971 1976 1981 1986


Source: Calculated from FAO data.

Figure 2. Consumption of millet and sorghum, roots and tubers, and
imported cereals in sub-Saharan Africa, 1961-88.