Drylands in tropical Africa feature the most variable water resources on the planet. Climate change intensifies rainfall extremes leading to fewer but heavier rainfall events, which exacerbate endemic variability in river discharge, reduce soil moisture, and heighten dependence upon groundwater for freshwater supplies. Further, clearing of native vegetation for crop production has been shown to reduce evapotranspiration thereby raising water tables and amplifying soil salinization and flood risks (Sahelian Paradox). Current understanding of water cycle changes to global change and how these changes impact water and food security in African drylands remains limited. This session invites contributions that: (1) analyse the amplification of hydrological extremes and its impacts on the water cycle; (2) provide new insight into the hydrological dynamics, processes and interactions of the critical zone across a range of spatio-temporal scales; and (3) inform adaptive strategies to water cycle changes to enable realization of UN Sustainable Development Goals.