This report covers the dry season. Harvest of last year's summer crops was completed in January. Rains usually start to increase in early March, but remained far below average until the end of April. During this monitoring period cropping activities predominantly occurred in the coastal areas while the northern areas of the MPZ were uncropped. The main crops grown in the MPZ are maize, sorghum, millet, yam, and rainfed rice. 

Rainfall is the most important limiting factor for crop production, since it is predominantly rainfed. The agroclimatic indicators show that the accumulated rainfall was below average (ΔRAIN -41%, ΔRADPAR +2%), and temperature and radiation were above average (ΔTEMP +0.8°C), which resulted in below-average biomass production potential (ΔBIOMSS -17%).  Based on the NDVI development graph, crop conditions were not favorable and below the 5-year average for most of the monitoring period, except for the coastal areas of the region. The VCIx value of 0.91 indicated stressed conditions hence assessed as slightly below average. The VHIn of 0.25 also indicated the drought that occurred during this reporting period. The crop production situation for the region is below normal (CPI = 0.91) indicating an unfavorable crop production situation.

For this region, during this period of dry season the climatic indicators showed a general decrease in annual rainfall (-41%) with the highest rainfall observed in Gabon (928 mm, -15%) and Equatorial Guinea (846 mm, -28%) while the highest rainfall deficits were experienced in Guinea Bissau (-86%), Burkina Faso (-81%), Nigeria (-64%), Togo (-53%), and Guinea (-48%). Based on the mininum vegetative health index (VHIn), most of Nigeria experienced serious drought conditions. The climatic indicators are indicative of a dry season with reduced agricultural activities as shown by the CALF and rainfall profiles.

Figure.{A} Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles

Figure.{B} Spatial distribution of temperature profiles

Figure.{C} Cropped and uncropped arable land

Figure.{D} Potential biomass departure from 5YA

Figure.{E} Maximum VCI

Figure.{F} VHI Minimum