The monitoring period covers the sowing and growing stages of Wheat and the harvesting stage of Rice and Maize. Nationwide, agro-climatic indicators for this departed from average: rainfall, temperature and radiation increased by 15%, 0.1ºC and 1% respectively.

The rainfall profile indicates high rainfall over the country in mid-May. The total  amount of rain recorded is comparable with 2018. BIOMASS recorded an increase of about 9%, but CALF fell by about 7%. VCIx was 0.81.

The NDVI development graph and VCIx indicate below-average crop condition during the entire monitoring especially in the province of Cunene: the area suffered from drought from early May. This also shows in the NDVI spatial clusters:  49.3% of cropland are average or just below average. More unfavorable crops (though not exceptionally so: -0.15 NDVI units) occur mostly in the South. This is corroborated by the VCIx map.

Mixed crop condition prevailed during AMJJ in Angola, but propspects are at least average in major agricultural areas. 

 Regional analysis

In the Arid Zone, the crop condition was unfavorable during the entire monitoring period compared to average. The region enjoyed average conditions: RAIN down by just 4%, TEMP up 0.3ºC and RADPAR up 2%. BIOMASS rose by about 16% while CALF decreased by 28%. The Maximum VCI recorded for this region was 0.68. Crops are fair at best.

With a significant increase in rainfall (RAIN +69%) and average radiation (RADPAR +1%) and temperature (TEMP -0.5ºC), the crop condition in the Central Plateau was close to average in early April. From May to July below-average NDVI prevailed. However BIOMSS is up 13% with almost full cropping (CALF 99%) and VCIx at 0.93: crop condition is assessed as at least average.

The Humid Zone registered increases on both rainfall and radiation (RAIN +19% and RADPAR +3%). Temperature slightly decreased by 0.6ºC. Favorable crop conditions prevailed throughout the entire monitoring period. BIOMASS decreased by 7% but CALF reaches 100%. With VCIx at 0.94, crops are assessed as at least average.

Positive departures of rainfall (RAIN +10%), temperature (TEMP +0.6ºC) and radiation (RADPAR + 1%) were recorded in the Semi-arid Zone. These increases contributed to the large rise in BIOMASS (+19%) even though CALF decrease by about 15% to 82%. The reduction on CALF impacted the likely crop output. NDVI shows unfavorable crop condition during the entire monitoring period; VCIx which reached 0.68. Crop prospects are average for the local conditions, i.e poor.

In the Sub-humid Zone, the NDVI development graph reveals unfavorable crop condition during the entire monitoring period. TEMP decreased by 0.2ºC but both rainfall, radiation and the biomass potential were up (RAIN +11%, RADPAR +1%, BIOMASS +4%). CALF fell 1% to 98% and the maximum recorded VCI was 0.90. Crops are promising.

Figure 3.6 Angola’s crop condition, April–July 2019

(a) Phenology of major crops

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

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

(f) National time-series rainfall profiles; (g) National time-series temperature profile

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI-Arid zone; (i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI -Central Plateau

(j) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI-Humid zone; (k) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI -Semi-arid zone

(l) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI-Subhumid zone

Table3.3 Angola agro-climatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April - July 2019

Table3.4 Angola agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA/15YA, April - July 2019