This monitoring period from April to July covers  planting season the Meher crops.  The main crops are maize, wheat, teff, and sorghum. The agro-meteorological index situation was as follows: RAIN (-20%) was less compared to the 15-year average, TEMP (+0.6°C) and RADPAR (+4%) were higher. This caused a reduction in estimated biomass  (BIOMSS -4%). The national agronomic situation was characterized by a slightly higher CALF (+3%) than in previous years and a VCIx of 1.0. Overall, crop growth across the country improved significantly compared to last year, even exceeding the 5-year maximum in May and June.

Based on the NDVI spatial clustering map and the VCIx raster map, crop growth was above the 5-year average nationwide. In particular, crop growth was better than the 5-year average in the southeastern and northern parts of the central-northern maize-teff highlands. Parts of the northwestern cereal-root-sesame lowland region also had good crop growth.

Regional analysis

The central-northern maize-teff highlands (63), Great Rift region (65), northwestern cereal-root-sesame lowlands (67), and northwestern sesame irrigated lowlands (68) had similar agro-climatic conditions. RAIN was lower than the 15-year average, TEMP was essentially unchanged, RADPAR was slightly higher, and BIOMSS was slightly below average. CALF for these four regions was essentially unchanged from previous years, and VCIx was slightly below 1.0. Overall, the agrometeorological indices at this site were little changed from the 5-year average, but better than in 2022, so crop growth was essentially near the longterm average in these regions.

Semi-arid pastoral areas (72) had higher RAIN (+9%) than the 15-year average, as well as an increase in TEMP (+1.3°C), and RADPAR (+1%) was unchanged from previous years. Due to abundant precipitation, the region's potential BIOMSS (+8%) is on the high side. The most significant change is that the region's CALF (+107%) has increased significantly this year compared to previous years. The VCIx for the region is 1.14, which is the highest in the country.

Figure 3.5 Ethiopia’s crop condition, April 2023 – July 2023

Table 3.1 Ethiopia’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April 2023 – July 2023

Table 3.2 Ethiopia’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, April 2023 – July 2023