Effect of climate variations on maize yields across Abeshge district in Ethiopia

Solomon Abirdew Yirga Solomon Abirdew Yirga

doi:10.54386/jam.v23i3.32

Abstract

The mean onset date, cessation date and length of growing period of the main rain season remained May 5, September 14 and 133 days, respectively across Abeshge district in Ethiopia. The dry spell is minimum during the peak rainy season (June to August or DOY 153-244) and switch upward once more around DOY 247 (September 4), indicating end of the season). Rainy days have a strong positive relationship (r=0.72) with maize yield, whereas total rainfall and rainfall cessation have moderately negative (r=-0.56) and positive (r=0.58) correlation, respectively. Increase in total rainfall caused a decrease in maize yield. However, increased rainy days, length of growing period and maximum temperature will result to increase in maize yield. Therefore, to minimize the effects of total rainfall, cutoff drain should be considered along the farmland.

Highlights

Agriculture plays a great role in the rural livelihoods across the many African countries
The single mass curve was plotted by using the annual cumulative total rainfall of the Indibir station as ordinate (y) and the years of data/observation as abscissa (x) (1986-2015)
A = Y intercept and b1, b2, b3, b4, ... bn = regression coefficients

Summary

Introduction

Agriculture plays a great role in the rural livelihoods across the many African countries. Increase in surface air temperature and decrease in rainfall may reduce crop yield and threatens food security in low income and agriculture oriented economies (Meybeck et al, 2012; Patil et al, 2018). Abeshge district, where this study was conducted, rain-fed crop production is the basis of livelihood as well as accounting for more than 70% for the land area cultivated annually. It is logical to analyze the climatic variables in the area to obtain precise estimates and to fill the information gap. Characterization of this variations is helpful in rain-fed agriculture to devise site-specific adaptation responses against to climate risks. The major objective of this study was to characterize the variability of past rainfall, temperature and their impact on maize crop yield

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion