SAHEL WEATHER AND CROP SITUATION REPORT

BURKINA FASO :

Crops are generally developing satisfactorily. In June, rains were limited but widespread, and soil moisture was generally adequate to allow land preparation and planting to continue. Coarse grain crops are generally in the tillering/leafing stages in the Sudanian zone and emerging in the north.

The food situation remains tight, notably in the northern province of Oudalan, with high cereal prices and depleted households food stocks. The emergency measures (including free food distribution and subsidized sales in affected communities) taken by the Governement helped improve somewhat the food situation in affected communities, but the impact on cereal prices remains limited, and the food situation of the population at risk of food shortages needs to be closely monitored during the lean season.

CAPE VERDE :

Land preparation is underway. Rains should start soon and allow planting of maize on the main islands, where seed distribution has been carried out by the government and FAO. Dry plantings have started in some areas on Santiago island.

The growing season is now well established in the agricultural zones. Rainfall has been adequate since the start of the growing season in May. Land preparation and sowing of coarse grains are in progress in the Sahelian zone, while in the Sudanian zone crops are emerging. Pastures are starting to regenerate, improving livestock’s conditions. Desert locusts remain a potential threat with reports of swarms in several regions of the country. Although a large scale invasion is not expected this year, intensive survey operations should be carried out on a regular basis in all infested areas.

Adequate rains so far have facilitated plantings and crop development in most regions. Following an early start of the rainy season in May, precipitation remained generally widespread and regular in June and cumulative rainfall as of early July was above average in most meteorological stations. Land preparation and sowing of millet and sorghum are underway. First plantings of millet are emerging/tillering. Planting of rice in seedbeds is underway in the irrigated areas along the Niger river.

First rains in June permitted plantings to start in the south. Significant rains were recorded in the south and the centre in June, allowing land preparation and planting to start. Desert locusts were reported in June in the summer breeding area between Nema and the Malian border, where hatching is likely to occur. However, no large scale invasion is expected.

The rainy season is now well established but the food situation remains critical. Rainfall has been adequate since the start of the growing season, allowing land preparation and plantings to progress. Cumulative rainfall as of late June was above average in 69 percent of the meteorological stations, and it is estimated that 92 percent of villages had finished their plantings by late June, compared to about 77 percent last year. Crops are emerging and already tillering/leafing in Dosso, Maradi, Tahoua and Zinder departments. Pastures should start regenerating as rains increase. However, desert locusts remain a threat with reports of small-scale breeding in the center.

Rains reached the centre and the north in June. Following early rains in the extreme south-east in May, precipitation covered the centre and the north in June. Plantings of coarse grains are underway in the south and the centre, where crops are emerging satisfactorily.

The first map indicates the total rainfall amount from 1st to 30th June. Data is extracted from FAO field reports and the Rainfall Estimate (RFE) Satellite Imagery as produced by NOAA/USGS/FEWS/USAID project. The RFE images are obtained by interpolating various parameters recorded on the ground and obtained through remote sensing measurements such as: rainfall, relative humidity, wind speed, elevation, cold cloud temperatures.

The map below shows the estimated planting time (opportunity) as defined by the dekad (10-day) satisfying the following requisites: during the first dekad, 25 mm of rainfall should be measured and a total rainfall of at least 20 mm should be recorded during the two next dekads. Data used for this analysis are from FAO field reports and RFE imagery.

Data source: NOAA, FAO - Prepared by: FAO/SDRN, Agrometeorology Group

SOURCES:

This is the second GIEWS report of the 2005 season on weather and crop conditions in the Sahelian countries of western Africa. Geographical coverage of these reports includes the nine CILSS (Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel) member states: Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. Reports are issued each month from June to November. The final report for 2005 with the first production estimates will be issued in late-November.

These reports are prepared with data from, and in close collaboration with, FAO Representatives, the Agro-Meteorology Group and the Environmental Monitoring Group (SDRN), the Emergency Centre for Locust Operations (ECLO), the Emergency Operations Service (TCEO), the World Food Programme (WFP), as well as various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s). In this report, satellite imagery provided by FAO/ARTEMIS, field data on rainfall, FAO agro-meteorological crop monitoring field reports and information provided by FAO Representatives up to 30 June have been utilized. The satellite images of the first dekad of June has also been utilized for final updating.