Spatiotemporal climate variability and trends in UNESCO designated Cultural Landscapes of Konso, Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Understanding spatiotemporal patterns of climate variability and trends is essential to designing context-specific adaptation and mitigation interventions for climate change impacts. To this end, this paper examines the 1983–2016 rainfall and temperature variability and trends using merged satellite-gauge station data in the UNESCO designated Cultural Landscapes of Konso, Ethiopia. We have employed a non-parametric Mann-Kendall test to analyze rainfall and temperature trends, whereas the coefficient of variation (CV) has been used for variability analysis. The distribution and severity of meteorological droughts were mapped using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). Our findings revealed an increase in annual and summer (Kiremt) season rainfall by 3.16 mm and 0.42 mm per year, respectively. However, rainfall in the spring (Belg) season decreased by 1.12 mm per year. Our findings also showed a substantial spatiotemporal variability in drought events due to variations in rainfall and topography. Consequently, the observed increase in frequency and the spatial extent of drought pose potential threats to rainfed farming, which gradually exposes smallholders to food insecurity and socioeconomic vulnerability. Therefore, agroecological-based local adaptation and mitigation interventions to climate variability are needed to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers and ensure the continuity of the Konso cultural landscapes.