Hydric resilience in southwestern Ogun state, Nigeria

The southwestern part of Ogun state in Nigeria has received 20% less water in the last two months.

Despite this negative departure from the average, the total rainfall was sufficient to sustain the trees throughout the wet season and accumulate enough water reserves not to worry about the little dry season.

As the wet season in this region usually brings much more water than can be accumulated in the soil, the dry anomalies that occurred in mid-May and the first half of June only diminished the excess water normally lost through percolation.

This cocoa-growing region is at the moment resilient enough to withstand a period of one and a half months of complete drought without experiencing water limitation.

In light of the historical climatological rainfall in July-September, this region should make it through the short dry season without any impact on production.