In Egypt, where the most common crops are clover, wheat, sugarbeet, and vegetables, the recent monitoring period covers the winter season.The period was characterized by agroclimatic conditions that were belowaverage, with values for RAIN of -18%, TEMP -0.9°C, and RADPAR -1%.Nevertheless, the biomass production potential (BIOMSS) increased over thefive-year average by 27%. Because of the country’s prevailing desertconditions, more than 95% of cultivated land is irrigated, and rainfall plays aminor part.

The national crop condition development graph based on NDVI showsthat crops were below the average condition of the last five years and almostat the same level as those of the same monitoring period for the 2015-2016season. The spatial NDVI profile shows relatively good crop condition in theNile valley and delta. The fraction of cropped arable land (CALF) increased by1 percentage point, compared to average values, and VCIx reached 0.75. Ingeneral, for this monitoring period, winter crops in Egypt are assessed asslightly below average.

Figure3.11. Egypt crop condition, January-April2017

                                    (a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

                                                             (b) Maximum VCI

(c) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                                 (d) NDVI profile