Sorghum and millet are important staples in the northern, semi-arid (Sahelian) part of this MPZ. They are replaced in southern areas by more water demanding crops, especially in the west where high elevations result in abundant precipitation. The reporting period corresponds to the main harvesting season throughout the region, especially for maize, sorghum, millet, and yams. In the West (Guinea to Liberia), rice plays an important part; the harvest has started and will extend into December, sometimes January. In the areas that tend to record bimodal rainfall (southern Côte d'Ivoire to Nigeria), the first maize crop is usually harvested from October, while the second is less advanced and will be harvested in 2017. Cassava, the main staple in the region is also still growing. The cropping intensity map clearly shows areas where two crops were cultivated along the Atlantic Ocean. For the whole MPZ, the cropping intensity reached 125%, a slight decrease compared to the average of the previous five years.

As a whole, the MPZ recorded above average rainfall (RAIN, +11%), and close to average temperature and sunshine, which resulted in a slight increase of the biomass production potential. The west of the region, which normally records between 1000 and 1500 mm rainfall over the current reporting period, enjoyed a significant increase of precipitation reaching between 11% (Sierra Leone) and 18% (Guinea), as well as a decrease in sunshine (-1% in Liberia to -55% in Guinea Bissau). The rainfall in this area increased the Niger discharge for the benefit of the Sahel. In the center and east (Côte d'Ivoire to Nigeria) precipitation departures reached between 4% (Benin) and 14% (Togo) over average, and RADPAR was average or above average (0 to +2%). For the MPZ as a whole, the cropped arable land fraction reached 97%, an increase of 1 percentage points that can be assigned to favorable rain.

The spatial NDVI patterns confirm that the highlands of the western part of the MPZ (4% of crop lands) did very well. Most areas (76.6%) had a peak of above average rainfall (+20% to 50%) centered around August. The interaction of rainfall and temperature patterns resulted in the largest positive biomass production potential departures being concentrated in the southern areas, which corresponds to the areas that cultivate two maize crops, of which the first did well. No areas had NDVI that dropped significantly below average; the area where VHI was highest corresponds to the Sahelian part of Nigeria.

Altogether, conditions were close to average, with abundant but not excessive precipitation, well distributed in time. CropWatch indicators depict a coherent situation with all crops doing well, including those to be harvested later this year and in early 2017 (second maize crop and cassava).