ASSESSING WATER-FOOD CLIMATE NEXUS USING GIS: CASE STUDY OF DARGOL BASIN IN NIGER RIVER MIDSTREAM

Abstract

The Sahel region is experiencing significant challenges related to water resources due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. This study examines the water resource management challenges in the Dargol Basin of the Niger River midstream, with a particular focus on the Water-Food-Climate (WFC) nexus. A thorough understanding of the intricate interconnections within this nexus is imperative for developing enhanced water management strategies and optimising agricultural productivity in the region. The study involved analysing the individual components of the WFC nexus- water, food, and climate- before employing the Principal Component Analysis test to assess their interlinkages. The findings underscore the pivotal role of water in agricultural productivity and food security, while concurrently highlighting the deleterious impacts of climate change on water availability. The results indicate that the water resources experienced spatiotemporal variability and changes. The food analysis results show a significant decrease in crop production while cash crops increased substantially. However, the Mann-Kendall and Pettitt tests reveal no statistically significant change point in the rainfall dataset from 1992 to 2022. The PCA analysis indicates a strong positive correlation between soil moisture and rainfall, while temperature is not correlated with rainfall and soil moisture. Cash crop yield and relative humidity (RH) are also positively correlated. In light of these findings, policy recommendations are proposed to enhance sustainable agricultural productivity, optimise water resource management, and strengthen resilience to climate change impacts in the Dargol Basin.