Modelling climatic water balance for water stress-detection for select crops under climate variability in the Sudano-Guinean Savanna, Nigeria

Autor: C. N. Emeribe, Christopher Uche Ezeh, Ali Williams Butu
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Modeling Earth Systems and Environment. 7:715-735
ISSN: 2363-6211
2363-6203
Popis: Climate change is a threat to food security with Sub-Saharan Africa being one of the most vulnerable regions and so requires concerted effort for efficient water conservation to boost food production. This effort should come from researchers, States and all other stakeholders especially given that agriculture in the region is still mostly rain-fed. The study employed the Thornthwaite evapotranspiration model to evaluate the climatic water balance in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Nigeria. The assessment of the crop water stress was utilised to design annual multiple cropping systems involving fast maturing and heat-tolerant select crops. Incorporating apt water conservation and prudent agricultural planning, the crops can be grown twice to three times per annum. The intensive multiple cropping systems of agriculture will avert the extensive agricultural practice that requires much land size with its attendant land degradation. It also will lead to higher productivity. The study reveals variability in climate observed in changes in temperature, rainfall and climatic water balance. However, the footprint is higher in Zaria and Kaduna. As a result, Zaria demands special attention due to the higher nature of its water stress and increased evapotranspiration. Therefore, conservation measures should be incorporated in agricultural practices of the zone especially in Zaria. The study advanced recommendations that will help to boost agricultural productivity in the Savanna zone of Nigeria.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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