Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire’s export sectors face heightened risks due to El l Niño – Fitch Solutions

In East Africa, Fitch Solutions pointed out that El Niño is typically associated with stronger October-December short rains, potentially resulting in flooding, crop damage, disease outbreaks and transport disruptions, reflected in its Environmental Sustainability and Governance (ESG) Country Risk data on shares of the population exposed to flooding.

Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire's export sectors face heightened risks, as the October-December cocoa crop development period coincides closely with the expected peak in El Niño conditions, Fitch Solutions has revealed.

From a food security and inflation perspective, it pointed out that rice imports account for a substantial share of consumption across several markets, including Senegal (69%), Côte d'Ivoire (49%) and Ghana (47%), leaving these markets exposed to an El Niño-driven tightening in global rice supplies.