School-wide publications

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://dspace.njala.edu.sl/handle/20.500.144402/169

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    DROUGHT DYNAMICS, VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTATION PRIORITIES IN SIERRA LEONE: AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
    (Jana Publication and Research LLP, 2026-09-30) Brima Gogra, Alhaji
    Drought is an important but comparatively under-recognized climate risk in Sierra Leone. Although the country receives relatively high annual rainfall, substantial spatial and temporal variability in precipitation, prolonged dry spells, increasing temperatures, and dependence on rain fed livelihoods can create significant agricultural, hydrological, environmental, and socio - economic consequences. This study presents an integrated evidence assessment of drought dynamics, vulnerability, sectoral impacts, adaptation priorities, and the policy and institutional context in Sierra Leone. Rather than presenting a new national drought-index dataset or a newly calculated vulnerability index, the study synthesizes findings from published research, institutional assessments, climate risk projections, vulnerability assessments, and national policy documents. The assessment is organized around the relationship between drought hazard, exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Existing evidence indicates considerable geographical and temporal variability in drought characteristics, with comparatively lower rainfall and greater dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods making parts of northern and north-eastern Sierra Leone important areas for targeted drought preparedness.
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    CHANGING DROUGHT PATTERNS IN SIERRA LEONE UNDER A WARMING CLIMATE: A SPATIOTEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF METEOROLOGICAL AND CLIMATIC WATER DEFICITS FROM 1981 TO 2025
    (Jana Publication and Research LLP, 2026-09-30) Brima Gogra, Alhaji
    Drought is a significant climate-related hazard in Sierra Leone due to the countrys reliance on seasonal rainfall, rain-fed agriculture, and climate-sensitive water resources. This study examines evidence of meteorological and climatic water deficits during 1981-2025 using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), with precipitation data from the Climatic Research Unit ( CRU ) and temperature data from ERA5, complemented by externally produced CORDEX - Africa/ CMIP projections and published assessments. The evidence indicates substantial spatial and temporal variability in drought frequency, duration, severity, and exposure, with northern areas such as Kambia and Port Loko identified in previous studies as comparatively drought-sensitive because of rainfall variability, warming, and dependence on rain-fed agriculture. Importantly, reported quantitative estimates from Amara and Ullah (2023), the Green Climate Fund (2024), Ekolu et al. (2025), Ogunrinde et al. (2026), and other sources are treated explicitly as secondary evidence rather than newly calculated results, and climate projections are interpreted within their original modelling and scenario frameworks.