[AFG]Afghanistan

The reporting period corresponds to the harvest of rice in the irrigated desert areas of the south and the planting of winter wheat.

The country recorded below average rainfall (150mm, -6%), below average TEMP (5°C, -0.7°C) and below average RADPAR (765MJ/m², -3%), which resulted in just above average BIOMSS (460gDM/m², +1%). According to the NDVI profiles for the country, values were very low and below average.  The cropped arable land fraction (CALF) was only 3%, which represents a  significant rise (25%) above the 5YA.  There is only a very limited areas that have high VCIx, mainly located in northern central part in the provinces of Kunduz and Takhar. This corresponds to the only area (10.7%) of the arable land where NDVI departure reached positive values just under 0.1, which is significant. About half (46.2%) of cropland in Afghanistan had close to average crops throughout the reporting period.

Winter crop condition is assessed as low to average.

Regional analysis

CropWatch subdivides Afghanistan into four zones based on cropping systems, climatic zones and topography. They are described below as Dry, Central, Dry with irrigated cultivation, and Dry and grazing regions.

Vegetation is sparse in the Central region. The zone experienced an increase in RAIN of 6% above average with a significant reduction in TEMP (-0.6 °C) and an reduction in RADPAR (-2%). BIOMSS reached 471gDM/m² and was 7% above average. The average VCIx (0.38）and CALF （2%）were low.

The Dry and grazing region with mixed dry farming recorded 125 mm of precipitation, 26% below average,  and 4.9°C (-0.9°C). RADPAR was close to the average, at 785MJ/m². The average VCIx for this region was only 0.28.

In the arid Dry region RAIN was just 135mm and 19% above average with below average TEMP at 7.9°C (-0.7°C). RADPAR was close to the average, at 874MJ/m². BIOMSS reached 379gDM/m² and was 11% above average. CALF was very low (only 1%).

In the Dry and irrigated cultivation region (mixed dry farming and irrigation), precipitation was 9% below average and temperature was below average (TEMP -0.5°C).  The region had higher VCIx (0.74) and CALF increased by 28%. However, Crop condition development graph showed that NDVI value during the monitoring period was below 0.2.

Figure 3.7. Afghanistan's crop condition, October 2018 - January 2019

(a) Phenology of major crops

(b) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI           (c) Maximum VCI

(d) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                      (e) NDVI profiles

Table 3.5. Afghanistan’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, October 2018 - January 2019