32 
database 
(operational) 
total number of raindays during 
ten-day and monthly periods, 
derived from Meteosat data as above 
3. Estimated rainfall (ERF) database 
(operational) 
estimated rainfall (mm), derived 
from Meteosat data as above on 
ten-day and monthly basis through 
regression relationship between 
cold cloud duration and observed 
rainfall 
4. NOAA vegetation index (NDVI) 
database 
(operational) 
Composite vegetation index data 
derived from NOAA AVHRR Global Area 
Coverage (GAC) data on ten-day and 
monthly basis (expansion of 
reference archive A3) 
5. Crop moisture availability (CMA) West Africa 
database (as B.3) 
(experimental) 
Water balance data on ten-day basis 
derived from combination of 
databases A2 and B. 2,3 using 
FAO waterbalance method 
West Africa 
(Southern Sahara, 
Sahel/Sudanian/ 
tropical zones; 
June-October) 
Africa/Near East 
/South-West Asia 
6. Monthly rainfall anomalies 
(MRFANABS/REL) database 
(Experimental) 
Rainfall anomaly data on monthly 
basis, obtained through comparison 
of monthly estimated rainfall 
versus long-term normal (databases 
A2 and B.3) 
7. Potential breeding activity 
factor (PBAF) database 
(experimental) 
Desert Locust potential breeding 
activity data, derived from 
combination of databases A4 and B.4 
West Africa 
(as B.3) 
West Africa 
(as A4) 
30 Mb 
105 Mb 
30 Mb 
30 Mb 
30 Mb