SAHEL WEATHER AND CROP SITUATION REPORT Global Information and Early Warning System on food and agriculture Report No. 5, 10 October 2002

UNCERTAIN HARVEST PROSPECTS IN THE WEST OF THE SAHEL,
MIXED PROSPECTS IN THE CENTRE AND THE EAST.

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You can also look at the film of the rainy season in Western Africa and the Sahel.

SUMMARY

Improved crop prospects, following the resumption of rainfall during the first dekad of August after a dry spell in July which severely affected crops in the western part of the Sahel have been dampened in The Gambia and Senegal by poor rains in late September. In these two countries, satellite imagery shows that rainfall decreased significantly during the second dekad and dry weather prevailed at the end of the month. In Mauritania, prospects for rainfed crops are very poor, while prospects for crops in low-lying areas, below dams and under flood recession, although more favourable, are still uncertain and will depend on rainfall pattern in October. By contrast, in Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde, crop prospects have improved following widespread and quite regular rains in September. Maize crops which suffered water stress have been recovering in Cape Verde and transplanting of rice is underway in Guinea Bissau.

In the centre of the Sahel, crop prospects, which were uncertain in Mali due to the delayed onset of the rains and localised floodings in late July/early August, have worsened due to poor rains in September, with mostly dry weather at the end of the month. By contrast, growing conditions have been much more favourable with widespread and regular rains over most of Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger. Crops are generally growing satisfactorily.

Grasshoppers are reported in Chad, Mali, Niger and Senegal, while army worm infestations are reported in Burkina-Faso, Chad and Mali. The desert locust situation remains calm.

A series of joint FAO/CILSS Crop Assessment Missions are scheduled from 7 to 26 October in each country to estimate with national services the 2002 cereal production. In Cape Verde, The Gambia, Mauritania and Senegal, the Missions will be jointly with CILSS and WFP for a full assessment of the food situation as these countries have been the most affected by drought.

SITUATION BY COUNTRY

BURKINA FASO  CAPE-VERDE  CHAD  GAMBIA  GUINEA-BISSAU 
MALI  MAURITANIA  NIGER  SENEGAL