Agriculture most impacted by climate change
Climate smart agriculture a key priority amidst rising temperatures
Climate change almost paralysed Botswana’s key economic sectors and resulted in substantial financial loss and alteration of livelihoods, President Mokgweetsi Masisi has indicated.
He singled out agriculture and water, as sectors especially impacted. This has particularly affected Botswana communities that depend on both arable and pastoral farming.
The negative impacts on the agriculture sector pose a threat to food security, and with the increased temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns, “perpetuated by unreliable and below average rainfall, the productivity of the agricultural sector is posing a serious threat to our food security,” he noted.
He stated that adaptation for Botswana is not a choice but a development and socio- economic imperative.
“We need to ensure that we contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases through mitigation actions, to which I hereby reiterate my government’s commitment, adaptation will always remain a cardinal priority.”
The recent Standard Bank Rapid Evolution of Insurance Africa Report has revealed how the agriculture sector had been heavily affected by climate change in the recent years, with rising temperatures, soil erosion, deforestation and the destruction of grazing lands threatening production.
Projections by the World Bank show that on a 1,5⁰C trajectory, farmers across Africa can expect several and frequent climate shocks in the future.
Further findings indicate that extreme droughts are predicted to double, heavier rainfall will continue, and cause intense flooding, while the unavoidable effects on production will set the scene where urgent interventions would be needed to prevent global famine.
Some researchers even predict higher temperature increases of up to 3⁰C; in some areas in northern and southern Africa even as high as 3.5⁰C.
“The severity of the droughts brought on by this type of increase would eventually evolve to be very enduring and
pervasive, particularly in northern and southern Africa, which would threaten Africa’s stability in terms of agricultural development,” the World Bank findings indicate.
Puisano Ramosabata, a farmer and agriculture sector consultant said that to thrive under the current climate challenging environment, farmers must implement climate friendly conservation methods such as crop rotation, minimum soil cover and permanent soil cover.
“These are traditional methods that can be implemented in modern times because they are effective and improve germination and the quality of the produce,” he said.
He noted that soil texture, aeration and soil drainage should also be prioritised.
He also called for the use of community irrigation dams and reservoirs particularly in catchment areas around southern Botswana.
Climate change almost paralysed Botswana’s key economic sectors and resulted in substantial financial loss and alteration of livelihoods, and mostly affected the agriculture and water sectors, President Mokgweetsi Masisi reiterated at the High Level Segment National Adaption Plan ( NAP) Expo that was held in Gaborone in August this year.
He noted that Botswana’s communities depend on both arable and pastoral farming and climate change impacts pose a threat to food security.
“With increased temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns, perpetuated by unreliable and below average rainfall, the productivity of the agricultural sector is posing a serious threat to our food security.
“Adaptation for Botswana is not a choice but a development and socioeconomic imperative. Botswana continues to do its part in implementing the required measures for building resilient economic sectors.”
Earlier this year, Government launched a research fund to provide scholars and researchers with resources to develop transformative initiatives that will enhance Botswana’s resilience to climate change, as part of interfacing with technology development.