The reporting period (July - October) covers the growth and harvest of the main summer crops: maize and rice. Winter wheat sowing is about to start in early November. The current monitoring period is the dry season in Egypt, and the average rainfall was just 3 mm, 60% lower than the 15-year average (15YA). The average temperature was higher than the 15YA by 0.5°C; generally, the temperature profile shows slightly warmer conditions than the 15YA. The RADPAR was slightly higher than 15YA by only 0.4%, while the BIOMSS was below the 15YA by 25%. The nationwide NDVI profile was below the 5-year average (5YA) except for the end of July and the beginning of August. The NDVI spatial pattern shows that 11% of the cultivated area was above the 5YA, 59.9% fluctuated around the 5YA, and 29.1% was below. The Maximum Vegetation Condition Index (VCIx) map shows that the condition of the current crops was near average.  The dominant VCIx values ranged between 0.50 and 1. This finding agrees with the whole country's VCIx value at 0.71. CALF exceeded the 5YA by only 3%. General, the crop conditions were favorable.

Regional Analysis

Based on crop planting systems, climate zones, and topographical conditions, Egypt can be divided into three agro-ecological zones (AEZs), two of which are suitable for crop cultivation. These are the Nile Delta and the southern coast of the Mediterranean and the Nile Valley. The average rainfall was 3 mm (-60%) in the Nile Delta and Mediterranean coast, while the Nile Valley recorded only 1 mm (-17%). Since virtually all crops in Egypt are irrigated, the impact of precipitation on crop yield is limited, but additional precipitation is nevertheless always beneficial. In both regions, the temperature was higher than the 15YA by 0.5 °C. The RADPAR was higher than the 15YA by 0.4% in the first zone and lower by 0.1% in the second zone. BIOMSS fell by 23% and 34% in the Nile Delta and Nile Valley, respectively. The NDVI development graph shows that crop conditions fluctuated around the average in both zones, with below-average values close to the harvesting stage in October. In both zones, CALF exceeded the 5YA by 3%. They also registered good VCIx values at 0.72 and 0.79 for the Nile Dela and Nile Valley, respectively, confirming proper crop conditions. Cropping Intensity estimates were at 182% and 158% for the Nile Delta and Nile Valley, respectively, indicating both regions had a mixture of single and double-cropping during the reporting period.

Figure 3.14 Egypt’s crop condition, July - October 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) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Nile Delta (left) and Nile Valley (right))

(g) Time series profile of rainfall   (h) Time series profile of temperature

Table 3.19 Egypt’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, July - October 2021

Table 3.20 Egypt’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 15YA/5YA, July - October 2021