Climate change adaptation will sustain Africa going forward

THE agriculture sector in Africa has a huge social and economic footprint. It provides employment for about two-thirds of Africa’s working population and for each country, it contributes an average of 30 percent to 60 percent of GDP and about 30 percent of the value of exports.

In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 60 percent of the population are smallholder farmers and about 23 percent of the region’s GDP comes from agriculture.

Africa has diverse agro-ecological zones, ranging from the rainforest vegetation with bi-annual rainfall to relatively sparse, dry and arid vegetation with low unimodal rainfall.

The enhancement of sustainable agricultural development is fundamental to the attainment of increased economic growth, food security and the eradication of poverty.

Sustainable agricultural practices play a key role in mitigating the threat that climate change has on the existence of this important sector in Africa.

Agriculture is sensitive to weather and climate. Its existence heavily depends on soil, water and other natural resources that the climate affects.

While changes such as in temperature, precipitation and frost timing could lengthen the growing season or allow different crops to be grown, it could also make agricultural practices more difficult.

The effects of climate change on agriculture will depend on the rate and severity of the change, as well as the degree to which the farming community in Africa can adapt.

Production will struggle to keep up as crop yields level off in many parts of the continent, ocean health declines, and natural resources — including soils, water, and biodiversity — are being stretched dangerously thin.

For example, projected increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in extreme weather events, and reductions in water availability may all result in reduced agricultural productivity.

Increases in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events can also interrupt food delivery and result in increased food prices.

Increasing temperatures can also contribute to spoilage agricultural

Africa needs to adapt fast before the effects of climate change consume the food value chain products, thus affecting value chains. health risks. These result in shifting agroecosysThese include exposure to heat tem boundaries, invasive crops and and other extreme weather, pestipests, nutritional quality is comcides, disease- carrying pests and promised and lowering livestock degraded air quality. productivity. Africa’s agricultural sector is

Other aspects of climate change is already being affected by climate the effect of air pollution, wildfires change. and increased pests. For example, the Mount Kenya

Air pollution may damage crops, glacier ecosystem is a biodiversity plants, and forests because when hotspot that provides water for more plants absorb large amounts of than two million people and the area ground- level ozone, they experihas long been one of East Africa’s ence reduced photosynthesis, slower most productive agricultural areas. growth, and higher sensitivity to But rising temperatures over the diseases. past century is resulting in the gla

Wildfires, which pose major risks ciers losing ice volume, affecting to farmlands and grasslands, will also agricultural production further increase. down.

The occurrence and range of Africa’s full agricultural potential insects, weeds, and diseases will is yet to be discovered. For example, increase as a result of temperature Africa could produce two to three and precipitation changes. Heat and times more cereals and grains, which humidity can also affect the health would add 20 percent more cereals and productivity of animals raised and grains to the worldwide output. for meat, milk and eggs. Similar increases could be seen in

Climate change is expected to the production of horticulture crops increase the frequency of heavy preand livestock. cipitation in Africa, which will harm While Africa’s agricultural crops by eroding soil and depleting potential is significant, unlocking soil nutrients. it requires practical, on-the-ground

Heavy rains can also increase agrieffort and innovation to mitigate cultural runoff into oceans, lakes, climate change. and streams, thus, harming water Although focusing on the growth quality. Sea level rise and storms also potential of the agricultural sector pose threats to coastal agricultural is important, creating enabling areas. conditions and an environment for

These threats include erosion, the continuity of this sector’s value agricultural land losses and saltwater chains is going to be crucial. intrusion. To top it off, agricultural Substantial investments in adapworkers face several climate-related tation will be required to maintain

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of heavy precipitation in Africa, which will harm crops by eroding soil and depleting soil nutrients

current yields and to achieve production and food quality increases to meet demand.

The World Bank says climate- smart agriculture, an integrated approach to managing crops, livestock, forests and fisheries, can mitigate the effect of climate change.

For example, incorporate climate-smart farming methods such as climate forecasting tools, planting cover crops and managing climate- related production threats. Agricultural producers can strategically apply fertilisers and keep their animals out of streams to reduce nutrient-laden runoff.

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