Changes in Rainfall and Temperature and Its Impact on Crop Production in Moyamba District, Southern Sierra Leone

Abstract

Rainfall and temperature are the important variables that are often used to trace climate variability and change. A Perception study and analysis of climatic data were conducted to assess the changes in rainfall and temperature and their impact on crop production in Moyamba district, Sierra Leone. For the perception study, 400 farmers were randomly selected from Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) in 4 chiefdoms and 30 Agricultural Extension Workers (AWEs) in the Moyamba district were purposely selected as respondents. Descriptive statistics and Kendall's test of concordance was used to analyze the data collected from the farmers and AEWs. Data for the analysis of variability and trends of rainfall and temperature from 1991 to 2020 were obtained from the Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency and Njala University and grouped into monthly, seasonal and annual time series. Regression analyses were used to determine the statistical values and trend lines for the seasonal and annual time series data. The Mann-Kendall test and Sen's Slope Estimator were used to analyze the significance and magnitude of the trends respectively. The results of both studies show evidence of climate change in the Moyamba district. A substantial number of farmers and AEWs perceived a decrease in the annual rainfall amount, length of the rainy season, a late start and end of the rainy season, an increase in the temperature during the day and night, and a shortened harmattan period over the last 30 years. Analysis of the meteorological data shows evidence of variability in the seasonal and annual distribution of rainfall and temperature, a decreasing and non-significant trend in the rainy season and annual rainfall and an increasing and significant trend in seasonal and annual temperature from 1991 to How to cite this paper:

Climate, agroecology, and farm returns: differential impacts with implications for agricultural progress in the face of climate change

“…The links between climate change and agriculture are obvious, especially in developing countries. Although climate change may take many forms, the most glaring manifestations are changes in temperature and rainfall (Molua, 2009;Yila et al, 2023). Changes in rainfall and temperature directly affect agricultural production which in turns affects farm revenue.…”

“…Agriculture in developing countries is largely rainfed, hence changes in rainfall patterns will affect agriculture (Crost et al, 2015). Changes in rainfall alters agricultural calendar (Ochieng et al, 2016;Yila et al, 2023). Farmers usually plan their farming operations with the onset and cessation of rains.…”

Sociological Trilogy of Cultural Community on Exposure Peril of Monsoon in Western Rural and Urban, Sierra Leone

“…Since 2017 and in July 2023, the frequency of typhoon emanating from the Konakridee axes stirring Western Rural and Urban Sierra Leone has been augmenting, regularly directing to harsh monsoon, mudslide and other shapes of hydrometeorological exposures. The ferocity and intermittence of climate transformation associated exposures in the Mano River Basin, Sierra Leone comprised, is calculated to augment in the eventual, ascribable to universal temperature change activated excessive meteorological incidents for instance, monsoon engagement in the Atlantic Ocean and its shock (Yila et al, 2023). Repeatedly, owed to temperature change, considerable socio-cultural localities are predicted to contact momentous divergences in rainstorm intermittence and sequences, directing demand for more advanced foresight suitable to alleviate the shocks (Liu, et al).…”