ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL VARIATION ON RICE YIELD AT NKHATE IRRIGATION SCHEME IN CHIKHWAWA DISTRICT.

The world is probably facing the biggest crisis of climate change. Climate change has affected every nation especially African nations. Most of African nations including Malawi rely on rain fed agriculture and Malawi’s economy highly depends on agriculture, this makes Malawi to be severely affected by any slight variation in climate. Nkhate rice scheme is located to the east of Chikhwawa district in Livunzu EPA. The area experiences high temperatures and little rains annually, this makes the scheme to highly depend on the supply of water from Nkhate river which is a minor river and its water levels easily lower down in dry season hence affecting the size of the scheme to be cultivated in dry season. Climatic parameters such as temperature and rainfall play a major role in crop production as proved by various researchers. Climate factors determine type of crops to be grown in a particular area since different crops have specific climate conditions which suit them. The main objective of this study is to assessing the impacts of temperature and rainfall variation on rice yield at Nkhate rice scheme in Chikhwawa district. This main objective was accompanied by the following specific objectives; (1) Assessing rainfall and temperature trends in Livunzu EPA, (2) Assessing the annual rice yield of Nkhate rice scheme, (3) correlating temperature and rainfall variations with the rice yield. The study was only done at Nkhate rice scheme in Chikhwawa district. Trend analysis for minimum and maximum temperature, rainfall and rice yield were carried out and revealed that minimum and maximum temperatures have been fluctuating for the previous 11 years. Regression and Correlation analysis was done and it has shown that rainfall correlated with the yield but the correlation is not that much significant. Correlation has also shown that there is no relationship between the annual minimum and maximum temperature with the yield.

Most of African nations including Malawi rely on rain fed agriculture and Malawi’s economy highly depends on agriculture, this makes Malawi to be severely affected by any slight variation in climate. The area experiences high temperatures and little rains annually, this makes the scheme to highly depend on the supply of water from Nkhate river which is a minor river and its water levels easily lower down in dry season hence affecting the size of the scheme to be cultivated in dry season. This main objective was accompanied by the following specific objectives; (1) Assessing rainfall and temperature trends in Livunzu EPA, (2) Assessing the annual rice yield of Nkhate rice scheme, (3) correlating temperature and rainfall variations with the rice yield. Trend analysis for minimum and maximum temperature, rainfall and rice yield were carried out and revealed that minimum and maximum temperatures have been fluctuating for the previous 11 years.

Nkhate irrigation scheme (1340 56’ E and latitude 160 9‘ S ) is located in the EPA of Livunzu T/A Makhuwila in Chikhwawa district in southern region of Malawi. The scheme has an area coverage of 243 ha.

Traditional authority: TA Makhwira

District: Chikwawa

Coordinates: -16.2776, 35.0011