During the April-July 2021 reporting period, the summer crops including maize, rice and wheat were completely harvested in Mozambique. The agroclimatic indicators show that rainfall was 15% below the average of the past fifteen years, the temperature decreased by about 0.5ºC and radiation increased by 1%. The potential biomass decreased by 2%. The country's seasonal rainfall profile indicates overall above-average rainfall in late April and May.   

The crop conditions development graph based on NDVI indicates  that NDVI fluctuated near the average of the past five years throughout the entire reporting period. In general, the maximum VCIx across the country (0.89) was favourable. High values of the VCIx were recorded in the northern Tete, Zambezia and Nampula provinces. However, low values of VCIx were observed in the coastal regions of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane, influenced mostly by the tropical storms in late March. The spatial distribution of NDVI profiles indicates that on nearly 17.6% of the cropland, crop conditions were above and 54.9% were near average. Despite the climate adversity recorded in late March, the country recorded favourable crop conditions.

Regional analysis

CropWatch subdivided Mozambique into five agroecological zones including the Buzi Basin, Northern High-altitude Areas, Low Zambezi River Basin, Northern Coast, and Southern Region. This subdivision was based on the cropping system, topography and climate.

During the reporting period, four zones received below-average rainfall, including Buzi basin (-51%), Northern high-altitude areas (-18%), Low  Zambezia River basin (-26%) and Southern region (-38%). Above-average rainfall was only observed on the Northern coast (+4%). In all regions, the temperature was below average varying from -0.3ºC to -0.7ºC, with the largest decreases recorded in the Buzi basin (-0.7ºC), Northern high-altitude areas (-0.6ºC) and the Low Zambezia River basin (-0.6ºC). Except for the Northeast cost (radiation about the average), the remaining regions recorded an increase in radiation with the highest increase verified in the Buzi Basin (RADPAR +4%). The potential biomass in the Buzi basin was near average while in the Southern region it increased by 1%. In the remaining zones, including the Northern high-altitude areas, Low Zambezia River basin, and the Northern coast, the potential biomass production decreased by about 3%, 3% and  1%, respectively. 

With the exception of the Southern region (CALF +1%), CALF in the remaining regions was near the average of the past five years. With the maximum VCIx values varying from 0.84 to 0.93, the crop conditions based on the NDVI graph reveal favourable crop conditions through the entire monitoring period, with the exception of the Buzi basin. in this region, the crop conditions were below the average for the past 5 years and the same monitoring period in 2020.

Figure 3.32. Mozambique's crop condition, April–July 2021

(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) National time-series rainfall profiles                    (g) National time-series temperature profiles

(h) Proportion of NDVI anomaly categories compared with 5YA   (i) Proportion of VHIm categories compared with 5YA

(j) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI-Buzi basin (left), and Northern high-altitude areas (right)

(k) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI-Lower Zambezi River basin (left), and Northern coast region (right)

(l) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI-Southern region

Table 3.55. Mozambique's  agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April – July 2021

Table 3.56. Mozambique's agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, April – July 2021