2.2 West Africa

The reporting period marks the beginning of the main rainy season and the sowing of main cereals (maize, sorghum, millet, and rice) throughout the region under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. In the south of the MPZ, in a region covering southern Côte d'Ivoire to Nigeria that tends to record bimodal rainfall, harvesting of yams is underway. In the west (Guinea to Liberia), rice plays an important role, the harvest of which extends into December and sometimes even January. In the areas that tend to record bimodal rainfall, the first maize crop is harvested in October, while the short season maize was harvested in early 2017. In contrast, cassava (the main staple in the region) is still growing, as reflected by the area of cropped arable land. 

Based on CropWatch observations, average rainfall was 671 mm over croplands of the MPZ, corresponding to an increase of +9% for RAIN. The highest rainfall was recorded in Guinea (731 mm, +14%). The MPZ had close to average temperature (27.9°C, -0.7%) and sunshine (RADPAR with a -1.0% deviation), which gave a slight increase of the biomass production potential (BIOMSS, +6%). For the MPZ as a whole, the cropped arable land fraction (CALF) reached 90%. Precipitation is currently building up and positively supporting plant growth. According to the maximum VCI (VCIx) map in relation to crop condition, the average VCIx was above 0.8 (BIOMSS, +6%) with values exceeding 1.0 in parts of northern Nigeria, indicating generally favorable condition across the northern Savannah agro-ecological zone. Over the reporting period, Nigeria had a good share of cropped arable land reflecting the extent of agricultural production in the region.

Generally, as the growing season intensified during this reporting period, the climatic conditions were close to average, with precipitation well distributed in time. The temperature fluctuated around average within a +/-0.7°C margin after onset of the main rainy season. CropWatch indicators depict a stable and coherent climatic condition conducive for crop growth buildup leading to harvest in late 2017.

Figure 2.1a. Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles (left) and profiles of rainfall departure from average (mm) (right), April-July 2017

Figure 2.1b. Spatial distribution of temperature profiles (left) and profiles of temperature departure from average (mm) (right), April-July 2017

Figure 2.1c. Maximum VCI, April-July 2017

Figure 2.1d. Cropped and uncropped arable land, April-July 2017

Figure 2.1e. Biomass accumulation potential departure, April-July 2017

Figure 2.1f. VHI minimum, April-July 2017