DOI: 10.36347/sjebm.2021.v08i04.001

Pages: 98-109

Climate change affects meteorological variables and the hydrological cycle with consequences for agricultural activity. To assess the impact of climate change on the hydrological cycle, this study analyzes the spatio-temporal variability of evapotranspiration in Togo and its sensitivity to meteorological variables that influence it at the monthly, annual and seasonal scales. The data analyzed are from ten (10) synoptic meteorological stations distributed over the country. The Mann-Kendall test, the median slope estimator of Sen (1968) and the Spearman rank correlation coefficient are used, allowing non-parametric statistical analysis. The results show a general upward trend in inter-season, intra and inter-year evapotranspiration. The sensitivity analysis test shows that temperature (maximal and minimal) is the main variable influencing national, regional and seasonal variation in evapotranspiration. This is followed by relative humidity (maximal and minimal), precipitation and insolation. The results raise concerns for food security in Togo inasmuch as increases in evapotranspiration and in its main drivers (rainfall and temperature) coupled with decreases in relative humidity and insolation negatively affect agricultural production. These results can be useful for planning irrigation, water resource management and agricultural production, feasible adaptation strategies for strengthening observation systems required to reduce the vulnerability of local populations.