Satellite-Based Monitoring of Crop Stress in Kano State During Drought Conditions

Drought stress during the growing season significantly reduces crop productivity across smallholder farms in North West Nigeria. This study monitors crop stress conditions in Kano State during the 2022 drought episode using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and biophysical indices. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, the Leaf Area Index, and the Crop Water Stress Index are computed at critical growth stages for sorghum and maize across 12 study sites in Kura, Doguwa, and Gabasawa LGAs. Rainfall deficit data from CHIRPS precipitation records are used to contextualise the spatial pattern of stress. Results reveal that crop stress conditions were most severe in the eastern part of the study area where cumulative rainfall was 30 percent below the 10-year average. Fields on sandy loam soils show earlier and more severe stress symptoms compared to those on clay-loam soils. The study recommends adopting satellite-based crop monitoring within the Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority's early warning system. Keywords: crop stress, drought, Sentinel-2, Kano State, vegetation index