IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON IRRIGATED RICE PRODUCTION IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

As demand for effective management of water increase due to climate change, future rice production will depend on developing and adopting strategies and practices that use efficient water application regime. The objective was to assess the impacts of different irrigation application on dry season rice yield in the context of future climate change using the AQUACROP model. Two experiments were conducted using a randomized complete block design with 4 replications at On-Station and On-Farm in the Northern Region of Ghana in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 dry seasons. The treatments were, surface irrigation with applied water equal to: the Field Capacity moisture content (W1); Saturated soil moisture content (W2); Continuous flooding up to 10 cm level, used as control (W3); 10ETc (W4) and 15ETc (W5). A 115 days rice variety, Gbewaa (Jasmine 85) was used for the experiments. Data was collected on canopy cover, biomass, grain yields and harvest index. The results of the simulations suggested that increase in average temperatures will affect rice yield, biomass, harvest index and ET water productivity for the various water application regimes if increase by 1 to 4oC, with +5oC being highly detrimental to growth and yield of rice in the Northern Region of Ghana.