Almost all regions of the continent, except the south and east, showed a significant increase in annual rainfall from 1983 to 2020
Rainfall trend analysis of Africa published in the journal Remote Sensing showed a significant increase in annual rainfall at the national level from 1983 to 2020 in almost all regions of the continent, except those in the south and the east.
The study, published December 25, 2021 revealed a statistically significant increase in the rainfall in the countries of Africa’s northern and central regions. There was no statistically significant change in the countries of the southern and eastern regions during the same time period (1983 to 2020).
Country-level annual rainfall variability indicated that after 2000, the annual rainfall in most of the countries in the Central African region exceeded 1,700 mm. However, Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, Niger and Western Sahara in the Northern and Eastern African regions showed an apparent increase in annual average rainfall from 1983 to 2020.
The highest annual rainfall trends were recorded in Rwanda (11.97 millimetres per year), the Gulf of Guinea (river basin 8.71 mm/year), the tropical rainforest climate zone (8.21 mm/year) and the Central African region (6.84 mm/year).
The lowest annual rainfall trends were recorded in Mozambique (−0.437 mm/year), the subtropical northern desert (0.80 mm/year), the west coast river basin of South Africa (−0.360 mm/year) and the Northern Africa region (1.07 mm/year).
The research led by Niranga Alahacoon from the department of physics, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, was done to analyse rainfall trends and their magnitude in the African continent under monthly, seasonal and annual timeframes as an indication of climate change using different natural and geographical contexts.
In the tropical northern desert climates, tropical northern peninsulas and tropical grasslands, there was a significant increase in rainfall over the entire timeframe of the month, season and year.
Climate variability directly impacts agriculture and poses a significant threat to food security and livelihoods, especially in poor or developing countries.
Adverse impacts of climate variability and change is making it difficult for the poor rural populations to continue engaging in meaningful agriculture and obtain secure livelihoods. This is because agricultural productivity is highly dependent on rainfall.
A slight variation in climatic conditions can subject a large number of the rural poor to increased poverty and misery as their ability to earn their livelihoods is compromised.
Africa receives rainfall over two major monsoons — west African monsoon and east African monsoon. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Atlas introduced four other rainfall seasons, March-April-May, June-July-August, September-October-November, and December-January-February to study and compare the climate variability across geographies.
Rainfall in Africa is sensitive to large-scale climatic variables such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation, La Niña-Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean Depot and Intertropical Convergence Zone.
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