The west African MPZ as a whole recorded rather favourable rainfall conditions during the reporting period (+16%) even if the value hides largeregional differences. In general, the west and the east as well as the norther nfringe (corresponding to the southern Sahel) enjoyed favorable conditions:Guinea Bissau, +45%; Guinea, +29%; south-east Mali and south Burkina Faso (bothwith +35% nation-wide); northern Ghana  (+14% over the whole country)and Nigeria (+21%, with excess concentrated in the northern half of the country). Temperature patterns show similar values the region; they were consistently below but close to average (-0.2°C). RADPAR was 4% below average(-2% in Liberia to -9% in Guinea Bissau).

The resulting biomass production estimate is up 5% on average with the most negative departures in Côte d'Ivoire (-5%) and Liberia (-8%), and the highest anomalies in Guinea Bissau (+11%), and Guinea Conakry and Ghana (both at +10%). The biomass production potential map shows un favourable values in Liberia, the south of Côte d'Ivoire as well as Togo and Benin. This very largely coincides with the areas of high cropping intensity (200%) wher the first maize crop, harvested in August and September, may have suffered some water stress in its final stages. The period also corresponds to the planting of the second maize crop to be harvested at the end of the year and throughout early2016.

Rice and especially tubers constitute important crops in the area.For the western half of the region and irrigated rice in the eastern half, the harvest is on-going and will last until December or January of 2016. In the east, rain-fed rice is harvested earlier (in September) at about the same time as maize. Yams are harvested over a long period of about 6 months at the end ofthe year, while cassava is brought in later, usually around December and January.

The comparison of satellite-based crop indices, the agroclimatic indicesand the crop calendar indicate that there were favorable conditions of cerealsin the western and in the northern (Sahelian) parts of the region. However, conditionsare mixed in Liberia and in the southern parts of the countries between Côted'Ivoire and Nigeria. This data is correlated in figure 2.1.

Figure2.1. West Africa MPZ: Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, July-October 2015