Maclean et al. - 2002 - Rice almanac source book for the most important e

NICARAGUA, a small country of 130,000 km 2 in Middle America, faces the Pacific Ocean and
the Caribbean Sea. Much of the interior is mountainous and volcanic. The bulk of the population
of 4.9 million (1999) lives on the western side of the country. Agriculture is undertaken by 42%
of the workforce and makes up 34% of the GDP.
General information
• GNI per capita PPP$, 2000: 2,080
• Internal renewable water resources: 175 km 3
• Main food consumed: maize, sugar and
honey, rice, oil and fat, wheat
• Rice consumption, 1999: 31.2 kg milled rice
per person per year
Production season
Planting Harvesting
Main season Apr-May Sep-Oct
Production constraints
The following are the major constraints to
sustainable rice production in Nicaragua:
• Drought stress because of unreliable rainfall
in upland areas
• Blast and weed competition
• Lack of input supply
• Weak research and extension, especially in
on-farm water management
200 Rice almanac