Written by Lilian Umeakunne
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| Youths growing Africa's agriculture. |
Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa
has been a source of livelihoods for centuries, from cocoa, tea, spices and
known staples to other cash crops and vegetables sold locally and
internationally. For a population that depends mostly on farming, the impacts of
climate change will be hard-hitting on food production and the environment
throughout the region.
Most of the farming models used
in parts of sub-Saharan Africa are designed with less attention to soil health, sustainable farm
practices, heavy or zero reliance on fertilizers and pesticides which makes
the region even more susceptible to climate impacts in the coming years. The
continuous production of food in Africa is vital to feeding the ever-growing
population which according to the 2019 revision of the World Population
Prospects, was 1,038,627,178 in 2018. The current growth rate is 2.3% with most
of its population, young people.
How the change in climate is affecting crop and animal agriculture
There has been a record of
decrease in rainfall amount over the past few years with visible on-set of
droughts in certain areas within the region. The change in precipitation
patterns will likely intensify over the next few years with periods of heavy
rains and periods of drought. This changing circumstance is affecting
agriculture as it becomes even more difficult for farmers to predict the onset
of the rains and seasons.
Change in temperature patterns
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| Maize farm showing weeds resistant to sprays. |
Recently, there have been records
of more extreme heat during the raining season and the dry season, crops and
animals suffer heat stress which can be a major setback in overall growth and
development.
The emergence of new pests, weeds and pathogens
Just as farmers are advised to
adopt new practices, new viable seeds and prolific animal breeds, they will
also need to worry about new pests and diseases, emerging weeds and problems
associated with the adoption of new farming methods.
Changes in crop viability
As crops are suited for a
specific location as a result of the prevailing climatic conditions and other demographic
factors, as these conditions change, there may be a need for farmers to find
new crop varieties to adapt to the new conditions.
Changes in animal viability
Like crops, animals are found in
areas where they have been domesticated for thousands of years, suited for the
climate, they have thrived. Farmers may need to find new livestock breeds in
other to adapt to the change in the climate.
Flooding of farm and grazing lands
One of the impacts of climate
change is flooding which drastically washes off nutrients from the soil,
pollutes water bodies, and causes erosion. The recorded rise in Sea levels is
fuelling flooding of farmlands within the coast and riverbanks across the
region.
What we can do.
Ignoring the existence of climate
change and denying the visible impacts of the changing climate will not solve
the problem it poses to agriculture and our planet. Collaborative efforts to
devise sustainable adaptation strategies for our communities is pivotal as a problem does not go away by a simple denial of its existence.
Re-thinking our agroecosystems
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| An example of agroforestry. Source: Montpellier.inra.fr. |
Reports from previous researches
show several benefits of agroforestry as against monocropping. The combination
of trees, shrubs and food crops on the same land area is beneficial to both our
environment and the crops as it maintains soil health and reduces reliance on
fertilizers.
Appropriate use of Ecology Funds
It is very likely that climate
impacts will strike, but when it does, timely support to affected areas/farms
is necessary to limit further losses as this is the idea behind the
establishment of the Ecology Funds in most of the countries within the region.
Development of new crop varieties and animal breeds
The Agriculture Ministries in
countries within the region should invest in research and development to develop
new crop varieties and breeds of animal that will be resistant to climate
impacts.
Soil Health
Practices that preserve soil
health should be adopted through practices such as planting deep-rooted
perennial crops and cover crops. The impact of climate change on food
production in sub-Saharan Africa will most probably not end in a day but
cumulated efforts towards building a more sustainable food future will save our
tomorrow.
References
Climate Change and Agriculture | Union of Concerned Scientists [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/climate-change-and-agriculture (accessed 1.25.20).
US EPA, O., n.d. Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply [WWW Document]. URL /climate-impacts/climate-impacts-agriculture-and-food-supply (accessed 1.25.20).
Author details:
Lilian Umeakunne is a Food security and livelihoods specialist devoted to making a change in African Agriculture.
Follow her on social media to share your thoughts and contribute your ideas to solving Africa's greatest problem - hunger and poverty.
Handles
LinkedIn: Lilian Umeakunne
Twitter: @Lily_Umeh
Facebook: Lilian Umeakunne.
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