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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Environ. Sci.
Sec. Drylands
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1414336
This article is part of the Research Topic Drylands under the Influence of Climate Change and Human Activities View all 11 articles

Drought in a semi-arid Environment: A Decadal Drought Assessment Using Earth Observation Information

Provisionally accepted
Israel R. Orimoloye Israel R. Orimoloye 1Gbenga Afuye Gbenga Afuye 2Rotimi Obateru Rotimi Obateru 3Idowu R. Bodunrin Idowu R. Bodunrin 4Toju Babalola Toju Babalola 5Adeyemi O. Olusola Adeyemi O. Olusola 6*
  • 1 Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
  • 2 University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
  • 3 Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo, Nigeria
  • 4 University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
  • 5 Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye, Ekiti, Nigeria
  • 6 York University, Toronto, Canada

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study focuses on the impact of climate-related events, particularly drought, in the study area.It highlights the effects of global warming, such as increased temperatures leading to evapotranspiration, reduced surface water, and dry soils and vegetation. The recurring drought in Kenya has had severe consequences, with around 5.4 million people projected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity if these events persist. The study used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products from the Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready Samples (AppEEARS). These products, including the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and pixel reliability, were analyzed using R Statistical Software. The findings reveal that 2011 and 2013-2016 experienced severe drought conditions, particularly in the Eastern Province, the north and central parts of the Rift Valley Province, and the western part of the North-Eastern Province.Conversely, 2017 saw a substantial improvement in drought conditions, similar to 2012. The study's results could be valuable in enhancing disaster preparedness and decision-making for rapidly monitoring and managing national drought situations.

    Keywords: drought, Kenya, MODIS, vegetation index, Earth Observation

    Received: 08 Apr 2024; Accepted: 25 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Orimoloye, Afuye, Obateru, Bodunrin, Babalola and Olusola. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Adeyemi O. Olusola, York University, Toronto, Canada

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.