1. The LEAP software January 21, 2008 Peter Hoefsloot consultant to WB and WFP

2. A bit of History Assumption behind LEAP: In rural areas in Ethiopia people largely depend on crops and livestock (rangeland) for their livelihood Monitoring Rainfall during season is too crude as an indicator. In Ethiopia crop yields are to a large extend predicted by the amount of available water compared to water requirement. Monitoring crop yields provides an early indicator of livelihood crises A simple Water Balance Model correlates well to yields

3. From rain and crops to indicators with a water balance model

4. General Philosophy of LEAP tool Compatibility with AgroMetShell Grid based, resolution 0.1 degrees Different input and output datasets Dataset priority Many indexes pre-calculated. Flexible number of crops Specific Import functions for all data Internet update for new data (RFE2 etc..)

5. The FAO Water Balance Model Main output: Water Requirements Satisfaction Index (essentially ETa / ET0) Small set of input data Transparent In use (with small variations) by: –FewsNET (Africa) –JRC of EU (worldwide) –FAO (Africa and Asia); AgrometShell –(…)

6. LEAP comes with lots of data Crops –FAO WHC –15 crops and crop coefficients Rainfall estimates –RFE1 (1995 to 2000) –RFE2 (2000 to present) –TAMSAT (Univ. of Reading) –ARC (Africa Rainfall Estimate Climatology) –SEDI –National Meteorological Agency ground data ET0 –FAO average dekadal ET0

7. Getting LEAP and getting support Tool (regularly new versions) –vam.wfp.org/leap Technical Support Mathewos Hunde m_hunde@hotmail.comm_hunde@hotmail.com mattewos.hunde@wfp.org Peter Hoefsloot peter.hoefsloot@wxs.nlpeter.hoefsloot@wxs.nl