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Welcome to the Crop Monitoring Box documentation
1. Introduction
1.1. General introduction to crop forecasting and its methods.
1.2. Crop forecasting philosophy of FAO, an overview.
1.3. The principles of crop modelling and their implementation in the CMBox.
1.4. Crop yield forecasting with water balance calculations.
1.5. Introduction to CMBox software, data formats and GIS.
2. A crop monitoring network
2.1. The two basic modelling options: grid-based and station-based
2.2. Setting up a monitoring network.
2.3. Selection of a reference period.
3. Gathering and calculating weather data
3.1. Entering and importing normal and actual weather data.
3.2. Computing the reference evapotranspiration ET0.
3.3. Preparing and using the dekadal rainfall and ET0 database for crop monitoring
4. Gathering and calculating crop data
4.1. Defining cropping practices and conditions and preparation of polygons for main crop growing areas in the country.
4.2. Analysis of time series of climate and crops to identify trends. Detrending yield.
5. Techniques to use when data are unavailable
5.1. Introduction to Geostatistics and the spatial interpolation of weather and crop data.
5.2. Filling gaps in agricultural statistics.
6. The FAO water balance model and its crop forecasting indicators
6.1. The FAO Water Balance Model. Monitoring crops.
6.2. Gathering all data into the FAO AgroMetShell crop simulation software.
6.3. Run the Water Balance model. Understanding the output of the model.
7. From water balance indicators to yield estimates
7.1. Calibrate crop yields against water balance outputs and other variables.
7.2. Considerations when computing crop yield maps and create forecasts.
8. Independent indicators
8.1. Examples of other weather based indicators.
8.2. Introduction to Remote Sensing (CCD and NDVI) and its role in crop forecasting.
8.3. Development of a standard procedure to define actual phenology (in particular crop planting date), based on local practice and satellite imagery
8.4. The use of Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images.
9. Data and information dissemination
9.1. Using other monitoring products in crop forecasting
9.2. Outline of a Weather Impact Bulletin
9.3. Prepare write-up of the products above as inputs to national crop monitoring bulletins
10. Setting up a crop monitoring system
10.1. Introduction
10.2. Resources required
10.3. Where to get assistance