10 h Economic and Social Perspective The economy of the Central African Republic is based essentially on the exports of agricultural, mining and forestry products. Industrial activity is not very developed and the tertiary sector registered remarkable progress before the crises period of 1996 to 2003. Thus, the brief indicators outlined below can provide an idea of the problems linked to human development in Central Africa. These are, among others: 6.1 The Primary Sector CAR exports are based on five products: coffee, cotton, timber, diamonds and gold. Apart from timber, gold and diamonds, agricultural products are subjected to the vagaries of the climate and to world market fluctuations. - Coffee Coffee was introduced in the CAR in 1925. The 1925-1926 seasons realized a production of 1.5 tons for a surface area of 100 hectares. Thus, from 1925 to 1990 the rate production was positive. However, since 1991 there has been a drop in production. And so, for the past three years, the volume of coffee registered by the Regulation and Trade Office and the Agricultural Product Control Office (ORCCPA), is as follows: - 2001-2002 : 6,015,600 tons; 2003-2004 : 3,926,980 tons; 2004-2005 : 2,502,900 tons. This drop in registered production is largely due to the sluggishness of world market prices. Furthermore, the problems of accessing the production zones due to the dilapidated state of the rural roads, the insecurity of the hinterland and the slump in prices all contributed to creating unfavourable conditions for exportable products. - Cotton Cotton was introduced in CAR in 1925. The 1925/1926 cotton season yielded a production of 93 tons of fibre and 585 tons of grain from a surface area of 2,073 hectares. The production for 1985-1988 was 19,350 tons of fibre and 460,307 tons of grain out of a surface area of 63,697 hectares, for 114,269 planters. Data is not yet available for 2000 to 2005, in view of the serious militaro-political events that took place in the cotton producing areas. However, it should be pointed out that the drop in production is also attributable to the fall in prices and to market slumps.