Impact of Climate Variability and Climate Change over Future Irrigation Requirment

Efficient irrigation system is key to agricultural and economic growth in Africa. Climate, maize crop and loam sandy soil characteristics data are used as an average coverage of the study area. The study incorporated the gauge precipitation and Temperature data, and ten CMIP5 dynamical models data of historical and projected scenario (rcp45) for analysis of climate variability and climate change. Crop water model (cropwat 8) is used to simulate irrigation schedule. The climate variability during each Below Normal, Normal and Above Normal years of rainfall have a significant impact on the variability of irrigation requirement throughout the growing period of maize crop. The irrigation requirement due to climate variability is very sensitive in the initial and final stage of crop. The projected changes in climate variables of Temperature and Precipitation have a significant shift in the mean of irrigation requirement. Therefore assessing the impact of climate variability and climate change on the projected irrigation requirement have advantage for the strategic design and planning of long term climate adaptation mechanism. Currently my country is exposed for natural disaster due to different climate extremes; as a result the study contributes as a main adaptive strategy to challenge the economic instability of the country. The study revealed that the irrigation performance in the study areas was highly influenced by climatic factors that require attention which is basic to improve the irrigation system.

Keywords: climate variability, Climate change, irrigation efficiency, Water Resource Management.