National Analysis

During the monitoring period from January to April 2023, the maize harvest was completed, while the rice harvest was still ongoing and will continue until May. This same period also included land preparation for wheat sowing. The agroclimatic indicators for this period showed a significant decrease in rainfall (RAIN -19%), accompanied by a 0.3ºC increase in temperature. Furthermore, there were decreases in photosynthetic active radiation (RADPAR -1%) and total biomass production (BIOMSS -8%).

The national crop development graph, based on the NDVI, indicated below-average crop conditions compared to the average of the past 5 years throughout the entire monitoring period. This can be attributed to the below-average rainfall recorded during this period. Spatial NDVI patterns, combined with the NDVI profiles, revealed that 40.9% of the cropped area exhibited favorable crop conditions, particularly in the provinces of Benguela, Huila, and Cunene. Nationwide, the cropped arable land (CALF) increased by 1%, and the recorded maximum VCIx was 0.89. The crop production index for Angola during the reporting period reached 1.12. Overall, the crop conditions during the January-April reporting period were below average, which will cause slight yield reductions in most regions.

Regional Analysis

Considering the cropping systems, climate zones, and topographic conditions, CropWatch has divided Angola into five agroecological zones (AEZs), including the Arid zone (5), Central Plateau (6), Humid zone (7), Semi-arid zone (8), and Sub-humid zone (9).

At the regional level, the agroclimatic indicators revealed decreases in rainfall across all the agroecological zones, with the highest deficits recorded in the Central Plateau (-26%), Semi-arid zone (-25%), and Sub-humid zone (-17%). In the Arid zone, rainfall decreased by 5%, and in the Humid zone, it decreased by 3%. Increases in temperature were observed in the Arid zone (+0.3ºC), Central Plateau (+0.2ºC), and Semi-arid zone (+0.8ºC), while it decreased in the Humid zone (-0.1ºC). In the Sub-humid zone, the temperature was around the average for the past 15 years. Except for the Central Plateau region and the Semi-arid region, where radiation remained unchanged compared to the average of the past 15 years, it decreased in the other zones by 3% in the Arid zone, 2% in the Humid zone, and 1% in the Sub-humid zone.

The regional total biomass production decreased in all the regions, with the highest decrease observed in the Semi-arid zone (-12%), followed by the Sub-humid zone (-6%). The regional crop development graph based on the NDVI indicates below-average crop conditions in all the agroecological zones, except for the Arid zone, which showed above-average crop conditions in late January and early February, as well as in late April. Looking at the agronomic indicators, except for the Humid zone (which had the CALF around the average), the remaining zones showed increases in CALF, with the highest increase of 7% recorded in the Arid zone. The maximum VCIx varied from 0.84 in the Humid zone to 0.93 in the Central Plateau, the CPI varied from 1.04 to 1.16 in the zones except Humid zone.

Figure 3.6. Angola's crop condition, January-April 2023

(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 temperature profiles                                                     (g) National time-series temperature profiles  

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

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

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

Table 3.3. Angola’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values, and departure from 5YA, January-April 2023

Table 3.4. Angola’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values, and departure from 5YA, January-April 2023

Table 3.5. Angola’s crop production index, October 2022 - January 2023