Variability of the rainy season and implications for agricultural planning in Guinea-Bissau:
a proposal for an optimised agricultural calendar
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis45505Abstract
This study examines the interannual variability of the rainy season in Guinea-Bissau between 1981 and 2020, focusing on its onset, cessation, duration, the occurrence of false onsets of rainy season (FORS) and dry spells. Results show that the onset of rains varies considerably across regions, occurring earlier in the south (June 17) and later in the North and East (June 29), with high standard deviations. The duration of the rainy season ranges from 124 to 143 days, with greater instability in inland regions. High FORS rates were identified, particularly in Bissorã and Bafatá, along with the frequent occurrence of dry spells exceeding 10 days in May and June, which undermine the success of sowing. Based on these findings, an optimised, region-specific agricultural calendar was proposed to reduce climate-related risks and enhance agricultural productivity. The study underscores the importance of adaptive practices and climate-informed planning for the resilience of Guinea-Bissau’s agricultural sector.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Orlando Mendes, Gabriel Garbanzo, Marcelo Fragoso
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
-
The opinions expressed in the texts submitted to Finisterra are the sole responsibility of the authors.
-
Authors retain copyright and grant the Center of Geographical Studies the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which allows others to share the work with acknowledgement of its authorship and initial publication in this journal.
-
Authors commit to following the “Submission Guidelines” available on the RCAAP platform.
-
Whenever the text requires changes based on suggestions from Scientific Reviewers and/or the Executive Editorial Board, authors agree to accept and implement these changes as requested. If there are changes the authors disagree with, appropriate justifications must be provided on a case-by-case basis.
-
Reproduction of copyrighted material has been previously authorised.
-
The texts are original, unpublished, and have not been submitted to other journals.
Copyright
It is the responsibility of the authors to obtain authorisation to publish any material subject to copyright.
Editing Rights
Editing rights belong to the Centre for Geographical Studies of the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of Lisbon.
The editing of a text submitted to Finisterra for publication implies that it is an original.
Publication implies acceptance of the submission guidelines and compliance with authors’ responsibilities.
Publication Rights
All publication rights belong to the Centre for Geographical Studies, as the publisher of Finisterra.
Licence URL: CC Attribution – Non-Commercial – No Derivatives (BY-NC-ND).
Digital Preservation Policy
Finisterra uses the Open Journal Systems (OJS 3.2.1.4), a free and open-source software for journal management and publication, developed and distributed by the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) under the GNU General Public License. PKP is a multi-university initiative that develops open-source software and conducts research to improve the quality and reach of scholarly publishing. OJS includes the PKP PN plugin, a means of digitally preserving journal content in the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN), which ensures long-term access to OJS journal content. PKP enables OJS journal publishers to preserve content in a decentralised and distributed manner. This ensures that, in the event a journal ceases publication or goes offline, continued access to articles and issues remains available (long-term preservation).
For more information, visit: https://pkp.sfu.ca/ojs/
