Apart from irrigated maize, which is harvested in July, no cereal crops are grown during this monitoring period in Morocco. Sowing of winter wheat starts in November. Precipitation has been below average in recent months, although most rains fall in the November to March period.  The cumulative rainfall was 53 mm, it is lower than the 15-year average (15YA) by 39% The average temperature was 23.1 °C (higher than the 15YA by 0.4 °C). The temperature profile fluctuated around the average.

Regional analysis

CropWatch adopts three agro‐ecological zones (AEZs) relevant for crop production in Morocco: the Sub-humid northern highlands, the Warm semiarid zone, and the Warm sub-humid zone. Both RADPAR and BIOMSS were below the 15YA by 2% and 5%, 1% and 2%, and 1% and 6% respectively for the three zones in their listed order. 

In the Sub-humid northern highlands and the Warm sub-humid zone, rainfall was below the 15YA by 35% and 39% respectively while the temperature was at the 15YA. The cropped arable land fraction (CALF) was above the 5YA by 11% and 8% respectively. The crop condition development graph based on NDVI indicates average conditions. The maximum VCI value for both zones was 0.62 and 0.61, which confirms the near-average conditions.

In the Warm semiarid zone, rainfall was below the 15YA by 42% while the temperature was above the 15YA by 1°C. The CALF was below the 5YA by 13%. The crop condition development graph based on NDVI indicates below-average conditions. The VCIx was at 0.42. Cropping Intensity estimates indicate that in general all regions dominated by single cropping during the investigation period. 

Figure 3.27 Morocco’s crop condition, July - October 2020

(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

(f). Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Sub-humid northern highlands).and (g). Warm semiarid zones)

(h) . crop condition development graph based on NDVI, Warm subhumid zones.

(i) Time series profile of rainfall                            （j)Time series profile of temperature

Table 3.45 Morocco’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, July - October 2020

Table 3.46 Morocco’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 15YA/5YA, July - October 2020