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SAHEL WEATHER AND CROP SITUATION REPORTGlobal Information and Early Warning System on food and agricultureReport No.3 - 10 August 2001
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You can also look at the film of the rainy season in Western Africa and the Sahel.
SUMMARYRains were generally regular and widespread over the main producing zones of the Sahel in July. Rainfall improved notably in Chad, Mali and Niger during the second and the third dekads of July. Precipitation has been particularly abundant in the sudanian zone of Chad during the third dekad of July compensating for insufficient rains earlier in June. By contrast, the north of Burkina Faso received reduced rains. In the western countries (Mauritania, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal), rains were regular and above normal during the first dekad of July. They decreased somewhat in mid and late July but remained widespread, notably in Guinea-Bissau. Cape Verde registered its first significant rains in mid-July in Santiago and Fogo islands. Satellite imagery for the first week of August indicates that Chad, Burkina Faso and Senegal received above normal rains.
Soil moisture reserves are generally adequate to allow a satisfactory crop development in most agricultural zones. No water stress is reported so far. Late plantings of coarse grains are underway in the north of Senegal and in Mauritania while wet plantings have started in the agricultural islands of Cape Verde.
Pastures are regenerating gradually in the pastoral zones. Infestations of
grasshoppers are reported in Chad and Niger resulting in localized replanting
of coarse grains. Although no Desert Locusts were reported, low numbers of solitarious
adults are likely to be present in areas of southern Mauritania, northern Mali,
northwestern Niger and perhaps in eastern Chad and are expected to increase
gradually with rainfall.
SITUATION BY COUNTRY
BURKINA FASO 
CAPE-VERDE CHAD GAMBIA GUINEA-BISSAU
MALI MAURITANIA NIGER SENEGAL
