Browsing by Author "Adesiji, A. R."

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    Development of Draught Early Warning System (DEWS) in Nigeria: A Review of Progress, Challenges and Future Directions
    (ICEC, 2025) AJiboye, Johnson Adegbenga; Ofeoshi, C. I.; Adesiji, A. R.; Saidu, M.
    Drought Early Warning Systems (DEWS) are important tools for reducing the impact of drought on agriculture, water resources, and food security. This review explores drought trends in Nigeria, assessing the progress, challenges, and future directions of DEWS development. Analysis of past drought occurrences reveals that Nigeria has experienced notable drought episodes in 1914, 1924, 1935, 1943, 1951-1954, 1972-1973, and 1991-1995, with the driest decades recorded between 1970 and 1990. The increasing trend of drought events is linked to climate change, land degradation, and poor water management. Nigeria's primary DEWS, managed by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), employs indices such as the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Palmer Drought Severity Index. However, these systems face significant challenges, including data gaps, limited technological integration, and inadequate community participation. An analysis of past studies shows advancements in satellite-based vegetation health indices, climate modelling, and machine learning algorithms. However, DEWS effectiveness is hindered by institutional weaknesses, data limitations, and insufficient stakeholder engagement. Key challenges include governance, coordination, funding, and capacity building. Future research should focus on intègrating local knowledge and indigenous practices, developing more complex and integrated DEWS models, improving data quality, and enhancing communication strategies. This review aims to inform policymakers, researchers, and practitioners about the need to strengthen DEWS to support drought resilience and sustainable development in Nigeria.