THE ONSET OF THE CROPPING SEASON WAS DELAYED OVER MOST OF THE SAHEL
SUMMARY
Following an early start of rains in May in the eastern part of the Sahel, precipitation remained irregular in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger until the third dekad of June. Plantings were delayed and replantings carried out in several areas due to the erratic rains. Although precipitation improved somewhat in end-June/early July, the rainy season is not well established yet and yield potential may be compromised in several areas if rainfall does not improve significantly in the following few weeks.
In western Sahel, where the cropping season usually starts later, the situation is not much better. Although some rains fell in June over Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Mauritania and Senegal, satellite rainfall estimates indicate that most of these countries are experiencing significant deficits which may affect plantings and crop development if rainfall conditions do not improve in July (1). Seasonably dry conditions continue to prevail in Cape Verde where the rainy season usually starts in July. The Desert Locust situation is calm but small scale breeding is expected to start with the onset of the rains in southern Mauritania, northern Niger and Mali, and eastern Chad.
Although localised food insecurity is reported in few countries, notably in Chad, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Niger due mostly to insecurity and lack of access, the food supply situation remains generally satisfactory in most parts of the subregion reflecting the bumper 2006 cereal harvest.
Note:
(1) Nevertheless, overall rainfall during the cropping season is expected to be adequate according to the seasonal rainfall forecast carried out by the ACMAD (African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development) and the Agrhymet Centre. For the Sahel which receives about 80 percent of its annual precipitation in the months July-September, there is an increased probability this year of normal to above-normal rainfall. Therefore, precipitation is expected to improve in the months ahead over most of the subregion.
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