In Mozambique, the harvest season of maize, rice and wheat was concluded in June. More than 90% of cropland is rainfed. During the April-July 2022 monitoring period, Mozambique had relatively wet weather. Rainfall had increased by 32% and both temperature and radiation dropped by about 0.1℃ and 4%, respectively. The total biomass production was 583 gDM/m², an increase of 11% compared to the 15YA. The favourable crop development performance is also shown by the crop development graph based on NDVI, in which crop conditions were above maximum conditions when compared to the past five years. Compared to the recent five years average, the Cropped Arable Land Fraction (CALF) was near average while the maximum VCI was 0.94. The spatial NDVI patterns and the NDVI profiles reveal that except for 21% of the cropped arable land (mostly in the provinces of Zambézia, Nampula and Cabo Delgado), crop conditions were favourable in all the regions throughout the monitoring period. The country’s CPI registered for this period was 1.16. In sum, during the monitoring period between April to July, crop conditions in Mozambique were generally favourable.

Regional analysis

Based on the national cropping system, topography and climate, CropWatch has subdivided Mozambique into five agroecological zones (AEZs) including the Buzi basin (140), Northern High-altitude areas (141), Low Zambezi River basin (142), Northern coast (143), and the Southern region (144).

The crop conditions development graphs based on NDVI indicate favourable crop conditions in all agroecological zones when compared to the average of the past five years. Nevertheless, rainfall is above average for all the sub-regions. The rainfall increased by 8% on the Northern coast and 108% in the Southern region. A slight decrease in temperature was observed on the Northern high-altitude areas (TEMP -0.4℃), Low Zambezia River basin (TEMP -0.2℃), and Northern coast (TEMP -0.3℃). an increase (TEMP +0.6℃, +0.3℃) was recorded in the Buzi basin and Southern region. During this period, decreases in radiation were observed in Northern high-altitude areas (RADPAR -2%), Low Zambezi river basin (RADPAR -6%) and Northern coast (RADPAR -1%). While in the Buzi basin, Low Zambezi river basin, and Southern region, the total biomass production increased by 10%, 8% and 32%, respectively. In the Northern high-altitude areas and the Northern coast, both of them had increased by 4%. The cropped arable land fraction in all agroecological zones was near the average of the past 5YA, while the maximum VCIx varied from 0.92 to 0.97. CPI was verified to be above 1 in all agroecological regions.

Figure 3.32. Mozambique's crop condition, April-July 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) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI-Buzi basin (left), and Northern high-altitude areas (right)

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

(j) 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 2022

Table 3.56. Mozambique’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, April - July 2022