African rainforest moisture contribution to continental agricultural water 
consumption

Nyasulu, Maganizo Kruger; Fetzer, Ingo; Wang-Erlandsson, Lan; Stenzel, Fabian; Gerten, Dieter; Rockström, Johan; Falkenmark, Malin

doi:10.1016/j.agrformet.2023.109867

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African rainforest moisture contribution to continental agricultural water consumption

Authors

/persons/resource/maganizokruger.nyasulu

Nyasulu, Maganizo Kruger
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

Fetzer, Ingo
External Organizations;

/persons/resource/lan.wangerlandsson

Wang-Erlandsson, Lan
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/stenzel

Stenzel, Fabian
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/Dieter.Gerten

Gerten, Dieter
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

/persons/resource/johan.rockstrom

Rockström, Johan
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

Falkenmark, Malin
External Organizations;

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Citation

Nyasulu, M. K., Fetzer, I., Wang-Erlandsson, L., Stenzel, F., Gerten, D., Rockström, J., Falkenmark, M. (2024): African rainforest moisture contribution to continental agricultural water consumption. - Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 346, 109867.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2023.109867

Cite as: https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_29180

Abstract

Precipitation is essential for food production in Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 80 % of agriculture is rainfed. Although ∼40 % of precipitation in certain regions is recycled moisture from Africa's tropical rainforest, there needs to be more knowledge about how this moisture supports the continent's agriculture. In this study, we quantify all moisture sources for agrarian precipitation (African agricultural precipitationshed), the estimates of African rainforest's moisture contribution to agricultural precipitation, and the evaporation from agricultural land across the continent. Applying a moisture tracking model (UTRACK) and a dynamic global vegetation model (LPJmL), we find that the Congo rainforest (>60 % tree cover) is a crucial moisture source for many agricultural regions. Although most of the rainforest acreage is in the DRC, many neighboring nations rely significantly on rainforest moisture for their rainfed agriculture, and even in remote places, rainforest moisture accounts for ∼10–20 % of agricultural water use. Given continuous deforestation and climate change, which impact rainforest areas and resilience, more robust governance for conserving the Congo rainforest is necessary to ensure future food production across multiple Sub-Saharan African countries.