Climate Change Effect on Water Use Efficiency under Selected Soil and Water Conservation Practices in the Ruzizi Catchment, Eastern D.R. Congo

Concerns have been raised on the effectiveness and sustainability of Soil Water Conservation (SWC) practices as adaptation options to climate change high intra– inter–annual rainfall variabilities in eastern Democratic Republic Congo (DRC). This study was conducted Ruzizi Plain, a dryland area, assess performance maize (Zea mays L.) under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 8.5) SWC (tied ridges conventional tillage). The AgMIP’s Regional Integrated Assessment (RIA) approach used simulate Use Efficiency (WUE) Cropping System Model–Crop Environment Resource Synthesis (CSM–CERES–Maize) Decision Support for Agro–technology Transfer (DSSAT). model calibrated using experimental data from nine cropping seasons (2011–2018) 100 farms. sensitivity assessed function temperature, water, same environments. Initial conditions crop management were input CSM–CERES–Maize. Current extracted AgMERRA datasets corrected with local period 1980 2021. Future projections (2022–2099) obtained after down?scaling 29 General Circulation Models (GCMS) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5) subsetted five GCMs based regimes. GCMS results strong indicator that this DRC will result an increase average annual temperatures both RCP 8.5, highest (3.05 °C) hot/dry RCP8.5 lowest (1.04 cool/dry 4.5. All models selected regimes 2022–2099 showed no trends (p > 0.05). projected yield declines 5–25%, less losses tied practice. use efficient could therefore be promising strategy reducing potential drylands DRC.