The monitoring period for this report covers January to April. Harvest of last year's main crops (barely, teff and wheat) was completed in December, amidst drier than usual conditions. In March and April, the planting of maize started. However, significant rainfall started in mid-April only. Rainfall had dropped by 48% from the 15YA, temperature (+0.3℃) and solar radiation (+2%) were slightly higher than the 15YA. Below-average rainfall resulted in a 17% reduction of potential biomass compared with the 15YA. The drought was most severe in the southern regions of the country. In the South-eastern mixed maize zone rainfall was 22% below average. The crop condition development graph based on NDVI for Ethiopia presents below-average values in March and April mainly due to late planting of maize caused by dry weather in southeastern Ethiopia. The NDVI departure clustering maps show a negative departure in the south. The average Maximum VCI for Ethiopia was 0.69. The Maximum VCI graph shows the same pattern as the NDVI departure clustering map. The cropped arable land fraction decreased by 11% compared to the 5YA. This was due to poor soil moisture conditions. In short, land preparation and maize planting were negatively affected by below-average rainfall in the southern and eastern parts of the country. Crop cultivation in the war-torn northern semi-arid region has been severely impacted.

Regional analysis 

The agroclimatic conditions in Semi‐arid pastoral areas, Southeastern Mendebo highlands zone and South-eastern mixed maize zone as well as the Semi‐arid pastoral areas were similar: Low precipitation but average temperature and adequate photosynthetically active radiation. As a result, the estimated cumulative biomass was reduced by 12%, 29% and 22% in the three regions compared to 15YA.The NDVI was also below the average level in March and April, which means that the forage growth and maize sowing were affected by the drought, which also caused a drop in the cropped arable and fraction and the maximum VCI was less than 0.65. In conclusion, the drought impacted forage production and a delay in maize planting in the southeast zone.

The agroclimatic conditions in western mixed maize zone were different. There was a slight decrease in rainfall (-16%), but the effect on cumulative biomass (-4%) was minimal. The cropped arable and fraction did not change much either. The NDVI was near the 15YA and the maximum VCI at 0.85. Conditions for maize cultivation in this region can be assessed as close to normal.  

The northern arid area is an agricultural area in northern Ethiopia. Due to the war, the cropped arable land fraction was almost zero and the severe food shortage is continuing.

Figure 3.15 Ethiopia’s crop condition, January 2022-April 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) Rainfall profiles                                                                                                (g) Temperature profiles

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Semi‐arid pastoral (left) South‐eastern Mendebo highlands (right))

(i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (South‐eastern mixed maize zone (left) and South‐eastern mixed maize zone (right))

(j) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Northern arid area)

Table 3.21 Ethiopia’s agroclimatic indicators by sub‐national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, January 2022-April 2022

Table 3.22. Ethiopia’s agronomic indicators by sub‐national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, January 2022-April 2022