The monitoring period October 2021-January 2022 covers the late sowing and main growth stages of the country’s major crops, which are maize and rice. The CropWatch agroclimatic indicators show that nationwide, rainfall was below the average of the past fifteen years (RAIN -19%). The temperature was close to the average (TEMP +0.4°C) while the radiation increased by 4%. The below-average recorded rainfall, in combination with increases in both temperature and radiation contributed to the slight decrease in the total potential biomass production (BIOMSS -3%).

The crop condition development graph, based on the NDVI profile, indicates below-average conditions, when compared to the 5YA. Unfavourable crop conditions were observed in 51.4% of the country’s arable land area during the entire reporting period, mostly influenced by the rainfall deficit in the southern region. Most of these areas are located in the province of Cunene, Huila Huambo and Benguela. With CALF decreasing by 3%, the maximum VCIx for this period was 0.88. The  spatial VCIx map shows that the worst crop conditions are located in the provinces of Namibe, Cunene and Huila, regions that recorded significant rainfall deficits. The crop prospects for the country are unfavorable.

Regional Analysis

Considering the cropping systems, climate zones and topographic conditions, CropWatch has divided Angola into five (5) agroecological zones (AEZs): the Arid zone, Central Plateau, Humid zone, Semi-arid zone and Sub-humid zone.

Except for the arid zone that showed above-average rainfall (+2%), below-average rainfall was observed in the Central Plateau (-10%), Humid zone (-16%), Semi-arid zone (-26%) and the Sub-humid zone (-15%). Temperature showed positive anomalies in all the agroecological zones. Regarding the radiation, apart from the Semi-arid zone which recorded below-average radiation (-2%), the remaining regions registered increases, with the highest increases being observed in the Humid zone (+11%), Central Plateau (+8%) and Sub-humid zone (+7%). Except for the semi-arid region which recorded a decrease in the total biomass production by 8%, in all the remaining zones, the biomass was close to the average of the past fifteen years.

The regional crop development graphs based on NDVI indicate unfavourable crop conditions through the entire monitoring period in the Arid, Central Plateau and Sub-humid zones. In these regions, the CALF decreased by 1% in the Arid zone, 2% in the Central Plateu and 3% in the Sub-humid zone. Crop conditions were reported to be below the average of the past five years in the Humid and Semi-arid zones. In these regions, CALF was near the average of the past five years in the Humid zone while it decreased by 4% in the Semi-arid zone. In all the agro-ecological regions, VCIx values varying from 0.67 (in the Arid zone) to 0.96 (in the Humid zone) were observed.

Figure 3.6. Angola's crop condition, October 2021 – January 2022

(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) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI - Arid zone (left) and Central Plateau (right)

(j) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI - Humid zone (left) and Semi-arid zone (right)

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

Table 3.3. Angolas’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, October 2021 – January 2022

Table 3.4. Angolas’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, October 2021 – January 2022