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Geospatial-based climate variability analysis, in Central Ethiopia Rift Valley

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Abstract

Climate variability has been a crosscutting issue across the globe, where the effect is more adverse in developing countries such as Ethiopia. The study aimed at investigating climate variability of Ziway Dugda and Dodota Woredas, Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia. The study has used 1983–2012, time series gridded data, field survey, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data. The data were thoroughly processed and analyzed using combination of Geospatial technologies and descriptive statistics. Long-term (1983–2012) rainfall data analysis result revealed an increasing trend, with an overall mounting rate of 78.5 mm in three decades period and it is also characterized by inter-annual fluctuation. The mean maximum total rainfall analysis of the same period divulges a consistent pattern, distinctively featured by late-onset and early cessation of rainfall. It is found that the maximum temperature increased by 0.23 °C per decade with an overall rise of 0.7 °C in the 30-year period of concern, while the minimum temperature remains constant. The statistical correlation result signposted a linear positive correlation between NDVI and mean annual and spring season rainfall with r2 value of 0.3467 and P value of 0.0342, and r2 of 0.715 and P value of 0.0003, respectively. Indisputably, variability of rainfall, and minimum and maximum temperatures was observed. The analysis also stipulated that climate variability is pervasive particularly in the spring rainy season, substantially dwindled in its amount and distribution, and eventually afflicts the vegetation condition and crop production in the milieu. Therefore, as climate variability has been highly manifested in the study area, appropriate policy and strategic measures are required to reduce and mitigate the consequent impacts.

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Data availability

The main data used for this research were gridded time series metrological data and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The metrological data was obtained from National Metrological Agency of Ethiopia and the NDVI was derived from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), MODIS terra sensor (via http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/), an open-source data repository widely available for research purpose free of charge.

In addition, Auxiliary data’s such as study area administrative boundary, road network, rivers, towns were obtained from the Ethiopian Geospatial Information Institute.

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Funding

This research was financially supported by Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Taiwan under the codes MOST 109–2923-E-008–004-MY2 and MOST 108–2111-M-008–036-MY2.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Computer Aided Design and Geoinformatics, EiABC, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Esubalew Nebebe Mekonnen & Ephrem Gebremariam

  2. Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research, National Central University, No. 300, Jhongda Rd., Jhongli Dist., Taoyuan City, 320317, Taiwan

    Yuei-An Liou

  3. College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Shimeles Damene

  4. College of Science, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

    Getachew Mehabie Mulualem

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  1. Esubalew Nebebe Mekonnen
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  4. Ephrem Gebremariam
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Contributions

The authors confirm contribution to the paper as follows: study conception, data collection: Esubalew Nebebe Mekonnen, Dr. Shimeles Damene, Dr. Ephrem Gebremariam; analysis and interpretation of results: Esubalew Nebebe Mekonnen, Professor Liou, Dr. Shimeles Damene, Dr. Getachew Mehabie Mulualem; draft manuscript preparation: Esubalew Nebebe Mekonnen, Professor Liou, Dr. Shimeles Damene, Dr. Ephrem Gebremariam, and Dr. Getachew Mehabie Mulualem. Revising the manuscript: Esubalew Nebebe Mekonnen, Professor Liou, Dr. Shimeles Damene, Dr. Ephrem Gebremariam, and Dr. Getachew Mehabie Mulualem. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuei-An Liou.

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Mekonnen, E.N., Liou, YA., Damene, S. et al. Geospatial-based climate variability analysis, in Central Ethiopia Rift Valley. Theor Appl Climatol 152, 151–165 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-023-04376-6

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