Effect of Climate Variability on Rice Production in Liberia

Climate variability and change pose major challenges to agriculture worldwide amid an increasing world population and growing food demand. This study assessed the effects of climate variability on rice production in Liberia. Rice yields and production data (1990-2023) were attained from the Food and Agriculture Organization Statistics (FAOSTAT), while temperature and precipitation were sourced from ERA5 Agrometeorological Indicators and the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS). Trends and relationships were analyzed using Mann-Kendall, Sen’s slope, and Spearman’s rank correlation. Multiple Linear Regression assessed climate variables’ impact on rice productivity. Mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures increased by 0.57 °C, 0.55 °C, and 0.55 °C, respectively, with precipitation variability at 180.31 mm. Climate variables showed diverse correlations with rice production; a significant negative impact of minimum temperature (p- value = 0.015) on production and a positive effect of precipitation on yields (p- value = 0.036). Farmers acknowledged climate impacts and adopted adaptation strategies, but resilience is hindered by limited credit access, low technology adoption, reliance on traditional practices, and inadequate extension services. Overall, the findings highlight the sensitivity of rice production in Liberia to climate variability and underscore the need for guided adaptation and institutional support to augment farmer resilience.