Rainfall Characteristics in Drought-Prone Sudan-Sahel Zone of Nigeria

Rainfall is the major limiting factor to agricultural production in the drought prone zones of Nigeria. Results obtained from the study of rainfall characteristics in the zone show that the annual rainfall totals over the region started decreasing in the 1960s but the last decade especially the late 1990s have been witnessing increasing annual rainfall totals. For the onset and Termination dates, no clear regional pattern could be seen. There is decrease in the duration of the rainy season. The number of wet days has been experiencing a decreasing trend in the Sudan savannah resulting in increment in the number of dry days. There is also a decreasing trend in the number of wet days and a corresponding increment in the number of dry days in August. There has been a decreasing trend in the rainfall amounts in August in the zone. El Niño affects most of the critical characteristics that affect agricultural production and water resources development.