Trees, Climate Change and Humans

Over the past few weeks, global news trends have reported environmental occurrences in different parts of the world. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes with properties worth millions destroyed. From floods in Cologne, Belgium, Southern Bavaria, Aachen, Trier, Henan, Kano, and Taiwan to landslides in India and wild bush fires in parts of the US, Canada, and Yakutsk. These are evidence of a changing world, and the undeniable effects of climate change. Thankfully, trees may just be the silver lining in this dark cloud hovering over the world.

Image source: Forestry England

Climate change which is caused by excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can be explained in the real world by irregularities in temperature and rainfall patterns. Sometimes temperatures are extremely higher than usual while rainfalls are more intense per time or last for unusually shorter or longer periods. As a result, meteorological predictions have somewhat become unreliable. These weather changes continue to worsen, hence the need for actions to be taken for adaption and/or mitigation. It has been scientifically proven that every tree through carbon sequestration contributes no matter how minutely to combating climate change. Carbon sequestration which takes away excess climate change-causing Carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere enables trees to trap the gas in their trunk, roots, and even in the soil (serving as sinks). In these sinks, carbon becomes more productive by improving soil quality and food production. This entire process of mopping up excessive carbon dioxide from the atmosphere protects the environment from disasters and consequently saves the human race from going extinct.

According to PennState Extension – an educational network of the Pennsylvania State University – US forests for example trap about 866million tons of carbon annually from the atmosphere, accounting for only 16% of the country's emissions. Asides from the fact that forests in the region are annually destroyed by wild wildfires (another process that increases Carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere), the rate at which Carbon is being trapped is inadequate. To reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the rate of trapping carbon should be higher than the rate of its emission. This example which is only a fraction of the world's predicament is a pointer to the fact that we need more trees to trap more carbon, and faster too.

From one end of the earth to another, we have all been affected by climate change. It may have been in the form of heatwaves, flooding, prolonged dry seasons, wild forest fires, extremely cold weather, a combination of rainfall, sunshine, and snow in one day, to mention but a few. Sadly, some persons have been more affected than others and unfortunately, more people would be affected as the days go by.

This is therefore a wake-up call for us to take action while we still can. In developing countries such as Nigeria where indiscriminate tree felling is a major challenge as a result of low public awareness, more needs to be done. We need to change our attitude towards our environment and also our perception towards trees and do away with the indiscriminate tree felling. Climate change adaptation and mitigation actions are not for scientists and researchers only. Do something today. Protect existing trees and plant new trees too because we are just on time to collectively protect our people and planet; tomorrow might be too late for all of us.

The Author

Ogbole Esther

''As an agriculture enthusiast, I have long had a passion for contributing my quota to the growth and development of the Nigeria agricultural sector and this birthed an interest in research to see what and how precisely agricultural strategies are implemented in developed economies of the world and how they can be adapted to suit the Nigerian scenario''. 

Local Food Systems of the Current and Emerging.

Amidst emerging global challenges, the call for regional and national economies to look inwards cannot be overemphasized. Recurrently, there is the compelling need to explore new options that ensure life on earth is preserved. This may include trade-offs at different levels especially as it relates to protecting environmental resources. It would also include engaging in research for development, formulating favourable policies and engaging individuals actively. The latter is the main focus of this piece. This article explores a collection of stakeholder responsibilities required to sustain local food systems. 

Did you know? 

You and I are direct or indirect actors in the production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal of food products in different forms. Whether as consumers or direct value-chain actors, every human plays a role in the achievement of food and nutrition security. And this is dependent on building, protecting and sustaining local food systems that are resilient to shocks. Moreover, unless we collectively decide to become breatharians – feeding on air rather than food – productive food systems would always be fundamental to human existence. 

What then can we do to produce more and better food (quantity and quality) amidst environmental, economic and social challenges without compromising the future of the next generation? How can we build sustainable food systems that have the ability to prepare for, adapt to and recover from different kinds of stress and shocks? How can Funke, a member of the Nigerian Parliament influence policies that protect local food systems in Nigeria? How can Chinedu the mechanic preserve his yams in an effort to protect food systems? How can Kwakwa, a herbalist in Northern Nigeria safely harvest his herbs without destroying his local food system?

Building and sustaining local food systems 

Let’s take a look at some stakeholder responsibilities that can collectively build and sustain local food systems. Some of these include;

Food Producers: These are the first and most important parts of our food systems. What is a food system without food producers? Food producers are the drivers and initial protectors of our food systems. Therefore, considering that building sustainable food systems is dependent on the optimum use of resources, willingness to adopt improved technologies and other innovations is sure to accelerate the process. These innovations may be in the form of improved seed varieties, digitalization of on-farm processes, mechanization, use of balanced fertilizer blends and other areas of precision agriculture.

The Government: There is a need to increase investment in regional and national research for development to drive country-specific innovations. This should be logical and solution-driven such that gaps are identified and actionable solutions provided. Favourable and consistent policies especially around land use, gender barriers, and a stable macro-economic environment would also enable partnerships and private sector-led investments.

Consumers: Behavioural changes are pivotal to building sustainable food systems. The consumer is the “king” and a major driver of every production and distribution process. The choices made by consumers with respect to the way, type and quantity of food consumed are important to our food systems. For example, making a decision to consume more indigenous or local varieties of food as against foreign/imported varieties and processed foods can serve as a driver for producing more local varieties. These local foods are beneficial to local food systems. Local foods are full of flavour and nutrients; they benefit the environment, promote safer supply, and support local economies.  Furthermore, consumers can protect local food systems by adjusting their diets and reducing food wastages which stress environmental resources. Consumer education is also crucial; people need to understand how their actions and inactions affect the future of food production for this generation and the next.

Investors: Investment strategies that support local food systems integration with environmental resources should be favoured over those that do not. Increasing investments by financing innovations, research and development, providing incentives to farmers for adopting new technologies etc. will contribute immensely to sustaining local food systems. For example, agricultural value-chain financing is a strategy private investors can leverage on. It is a sustainable approach to funding the production and distribution of foods. It creates value for money whilst promoting effectiveness and efficiency. 

It is important to add that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating change. A collection of productive actions from every individual is the pathway to building beneficial food systems in current and emerging times of the future. Are there other actions you consider relevant to building sustainable food systems, please leave a comment below and let’s get talking.

The Author

Ogbole Esther

''As an agriculture enthusiast, I have long had a passion for contributing my quota to the growth and development of the Nigeria agricultural sector and this birthed an interest in research to see what and how precisely agricultural strategies are implemented in developed economies of the world and how they can be adapted to suit the Nigerian scenario''. 

Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity

In building resilient and sustainable food systems, issues bordering on the protection of soil resources must be at the fore of high-level stakeholder dialogues. Soils have been unequivocally described as being fundamental to life on earth¹, the very foundation of our food production², the cradle of civilization³, the skin of the earth⁴, the most biologically diverse material on earth⁵, and ultimately, the heart of agriculture⁶. However, the optimal functioning of soils in line with the aforementioned description is dependent on healthy soil biodiversity. 

Soil biodiversity refers to the variety of life below ground with diversities that encompass their genus, species, and the communities they form as well as the ecological complexes (including soil micro-habitats and landscapes⁷) to which they contribute and belong. 

Succinctly, soil biodiversity is the community of microorganisms present in the soil. Examples of these organisms are earthworms, spiders, woodlice, termites, crickets, moles, ants, algae, fungi, bacteria, and protozoa.

Image source: http://blog.actuaries.org.uk/blog/biodiversity-risk-natural-capital-and-actuarial-practice 

In enabling the soil to perform optimally, microorganisms hold soil particles together, as well as break down and circulate nutrients in the soil. Microorganisms also improve the nutrient content of food and subsequently improves human health. This occurs when plant-based antioxidants which are nutritionally beneficial to the human body are produced through micro-organisms. By breaking down organic pollutants and maintaining a complex food web involving series of exchanges, the community of microorganisms in the soil additionally contributes to climate change adaptation and mitigation⁸. 

Quick Facts: 

 There are more microorganisms in the soil than there are humans on earth. In this context, the phrase “the more the merrier” literally comes to mind. It is expected that healthy soils will contain unquantifiable amounts of microorganisms for optimal performance;

 Only 1% of microorganisms in the soil have been discovered¹⁰;

 In an area the size of a football field, soil organisms produce organic matter equivalent to the weight of 25 cars every year¹⁰.

Drivers of soil biodiversity loss:

Despite the many benefits of microorganisms in the soil, human-related soil degradation activities continue to pose major threats to the optimal utilization of these benefits. Some of these human-related activities include poorly planned urbanization and rapid encroachment on productive soils, deforestation, bush burning, misguided fertilizer application, uncontrolled exploitation of marginal soils, intense agricultural activities, pollution, desertification, and erosion.  FAO has summarily identified five (5) main drivers of soil biodiversity loss to include;

i. Land use change (this may be driven by urbanization);

ii. Invasive species (predatory microorganisms that destroy economically beneficial microorganisms present in the soil);

iii. Unsustainable soil management practices;

iv. Pollution and soil sealing and

v. Urbanization.

How to keep soils alive

As a steward for healthy soils, I continue to plant and encourage my neighbors to plant trees as an effort towards living sustainably by growing a greener environment, I engage in soil research and ensure that I reduce and reuse waste materials. This is because the preservation of soil biodiversity for optimal soil performance would require an active engagement in sustainable practices by every living human on earth. Therefore, a summary of actions targeted at keeping soils alive as promoted by FAO include to;

i. Live sustainably by growing greener cities,

ii. Invest in research on soil biodiversity,

iii. Engage in sustainable soil management (e.g. planting cover crops, practicing crop rotation in places where land is available, providing habitat for beneficial insects,

iv. Serve as stewards for soils by constantly advocating for living soils and

v. Reducing, reuse and recycle materials to lessen stress on soils.

 

References

1. FAO and ITPS (2015): Status of World’s Soil Resources (SWSR) - Technical Summary. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, Rome, Italy 

2. ISRIC World Soil Information: Soils and Food Security. Available at https://www.isric.org/utilise/global-issues/food-security#:~:text=Soils%20are%20at%20the%20very,intensified%20due%20to%20increasing%20pressure.&text=ISRIC%20creates%20and%20maintains%20soil,of%20policy%2D%20and%20decision%20making. 

3. GeoExpro (2006): Mesopotamia - The Cradle of Civilization. GeoExpro Magazine Vol. 3, No.

2. Available at https://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2006/02/mesopotamia-the-cradle-of-civilization 

4. Soil Science Society of Ameria: Soil4kids - What is Soil? Available at https://www.soils4kids.org/about#:~:text=What%20is%20Soil%3F,vital%20to%20life%20on%20earth. 

5. NSW Government (2018): Soil Biodiversity. Available at https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/land-and-soil/soil-degradation/soil-biodiversity 

6. The James Hutton Institute: Soils@Hutton - Soil and Food Security. Available at https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/soilshutton/soil-and-food-security

7. FAO (2020): The Role of Soil Organisms in Ensuring Sustainable Agri-Food Systems and Mitigating Climate Change. Food and Agriculture Organisation News Report available at http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1339016/icode/#:~:text=The%20new%20FAO%20report%20defines,soil%20micro%2Dhabitats%20to%20landscapes. 

8. FAO, ITPS, GSBI, SCBD and EC. 2020. State of knowledge of soil biodiversity – Status, challenges and potentialities, Summary for policymakers. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb1929en 

 

9. European Union (2010): The Factory of Life - Why Soil Biodiversity is Important. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/environment/archives/soil/pdf/soil_biodiversity_brochure_en.pdf

The Author

Ogbole Esther

 ''As an agriculture enthusiast, I have long had a passion for contributing my quota to the growth and development of the Nigeria agricultural sector and this birthed an interest in research to see what and how precisely agricultural strategies are implemented in developed economies of the world and how they can be adapted to suit the Nigerian scenario''. 

Insecurity Threatens the Nigerian Food System

Lately, the people who grow our food are being killed and forced to flee their homes by insurgents in parts of the country. With daily headlines as below:

“Two Die as Farmers, Herdsmen Clash in Oyo Community” – Sahara Reporters, 16/01/2021¹

“Seven Farmers Killed, Others Injured by Bandits Attack in Niger” - Nigerian Tribune, 02/01/2021²

 “Bauchi Lawmaker Decries Attack on Farmers by Killer Herders” – The Guardian, 31/12/2020³

“Suspected Fulani Herdsmen Kill Three Farmers in Oyo” – Sahara Reporters, 27/12/2020⁴

“43 Farmers Killed by Insurgents Buried Amid Tears, Wailing” – The Guardian, 29/11/2020⁵

“Boko Haram Jihadists Kill Eight Farmers in Nigeria’s Borno State” - The Defense Post, 26/10/2020⁶

“Fulani Herdsmen Kill A farmer in Southern Kaduna, Hide Body in Cave” – Sahara Reporters, 08/07/2020⁷

A Canadian songwriter, Leonard Cohen once said that “there’s a crack in everything and that’s how the light gets in”. This statement is true for many situations in life and earnestly brings hope to mind even in the worst of times.

However, juxtaposing this line of thought with the condition of Nigeria’s agricultural sector is farfetched. Agriculture in the country is “embellished” with cracks. Albeit fathoming the glorious emergence of light as philosophized by Cohen is exasperating and honestly inconceivable. Daily reports of farmers being kidnapped and/or killed across parts of the country reflect a clear pattern of destruction of lives and properties. Even though contextualizing this as an effort towards crippling the country’s food system seems illogical, and makes little to no sense despite unambiguous pointers to this effect.

Crop farmers in Nigeria. Image source: Guardian Nigeria

These happenings bring to mind pungent questions about who benefits from crippling food production in Nigeria. The closure of Nigeria’s land borders from 2019 – 2020 directs a pointer at food importers. Nevertheless, these food importers have existed since the 90’s when Nigeria lost its stance on food sovereignty. Why then would there be a sudden need to attack farmers and slow down food production in the country? Next on this illusionary list of “suspects” are arms dealers. Well, considering the incessant proliferation of arms across the country, it’s tempting to conclude that corrupt politicians or top double-dealing security principals are profiteering from budgetary allocations committed to combating insecurity.

There is also the plausible theory of man’s inhumane nature meted out by brainwashed insurgents in the Nigerian context. Otherwise, could it be a mere coincidence that innocent farmers are maimed, kidnapped, raped, and killed on daily basis across parts of the country? That’s a rather befuddling coincidence if I must say. Unverified reports in some quarters claim that the situation has deteriorated to the extent that insurgents extort farmers to enable them access to their farmlands. A situation could not be more embarrassing.

Sadly, what began as a clash between farmers and herders in the middle-belt has transcended to unprovoked and senseless attacks on farmers across the country. Consequently, the causality theory throws President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration off its quest for achieving food security which they maintain remains at the fore of the administration’s agenda. Furthermore, it is a no-brainer that the achievement of food security in Nigeria is hugely dependent on the safety of rural farmers who make up over 70% of the food production workforce. Therefore, rising cases of insecurity will continue to fuel food inflation which currently stands at 19.56%.⁸

Suffice to say, Nigeria’s food production system is under threat because the life of an average farmer is unsafe. Our food heroes are dying and something needs to be done about it.

Reference

1. Sahara Reporters (2021):  Newspaper publication on 16^th January 2021. http://saharareporters.com/2021/01/16/two-die-farmers-herdsmen-clash-oyo-community
2. The Nigerian Tribune (2021): Newspaper publication on 2^nd January 2021. https://tribuneonlineng.com/seven-farmers-killed-others-injured-by-bandits-attack-in-niger/” - Nigerian Tribune, 02/01/2021
3. The Guardian (2020): Newspaper publication on 31^st December 2020. https://guardian.ng/news/bauchi-lawmaker-decries-attack-on-farmers-by-killer-herders/
4. Sahara Reporters (2020): Newspaper publication on 27^th December 2020. http://saharareporters.com/2020/12/27/suspected-fulani-herdsmen-kill-three-farmers-oyo
5. The Guardian (2020): Newspaper publication on 29^th December 2020. https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/national/43-farmers-kild-by-insurgents-buried-amid-tears-wailing/
6. The Defense Post (2020): Newspaper publication on 26^th October 2020. https://www.thedefensepost.com/2020/10/26/boko-haram-kill-eight-nigeria/
7. Sahara Reporters (2020): Newspaper publication on 8^th July 2020. http://saharareporters.com/2020/07/08/fulani-herdsmen-kill-farmer-southern-kaduna-hide-body-cave
8. Trading Economics (2021): Nigeria Food Inflation – 1996 – 2020 Data. https://tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/food-inflation

       The Author

Ogbole Esther

 ''As an agriculture enthusiast, I have long had a passion for contributing my quota to the growth and development of the Nigeria agricultural sector and this birthed an interest in research to see what and how precisely agricultural strategies are implemented in developed economies of the world and how they can be adapted to suit the Nigerian scenario''.

      

National security and food security: The way forward

In my last article, I shared my views on the relationship between national and food security and how much the former can impact the achievement of the latter. It is established that the achievement of food and nutrition security in addition to other factors is highly dependent on the strength of a nation’s security. Threats to national security can lead to loss of life, destruction of farmlands, and migration of the food production workforce as earlier stated. It can also stall infrastructural development, market access, and other variables involved in the food supply chain. Therefore, it can be concluded that insecurity threatens the production, demand, and supply of food. 

Insecurity depletes the quantity and quality of food produced as the process of adopting improved practices are affected. Many rural farming communities in Nigeria with the potential to produce large quantities of agricultural commodities are cut-off from activities of researchers and extension agents, consequent upon security challenges inherent in these locations. For example, research extension activities have slowed down in some farming communities in Kaduna State, mainly because of incessant community clashes. These communities are not readily accessed in disseminating information on available markets/off-takers, improved farming practices, and technologies, as well as new and improved plant varieties required for improved productivity. Farmers in these communities sometimes also lack access to agro-inputs and agricultural support initiatives from government, private and international donor agencies.

While we often complain of the government’s ineptitude towards recurring issues such as finance, research, information dissemination, infrastructural development and near-extinction of the region’s farming population who are predominantly aged people, there is a need to urgently address emerging threats to the security of existing resources to ensure optimum production in the midst of increasing population and urbanization.

 In synergizing food and national security for sustained livelihoods, the following are a few recommendations on sustainable approaches for improvement:

 It is important to clearly identify and understand the root causes of these conflicts/insurgencies for the implementation of more effective conflict  resolution initiatives;

 There is a need to ensure that conflicts are resolved through an all-inclusive and participatory approach - elimination of a biased approach to conflict resolution;

 The government needs to “genuinely” commit time, personnel, and other resources to combat security challenges. When resources are deployed, activities should be monitored regularly for sustained change;

 Government and Stakeholders should collaboratively create an enabling environment for youth participation in agriculture through the creation of more employment opportunities in the sector as well as the implementation of education and entrepreneurship initiatives.

 Ensure that displaced persons are settled back in their original homes after having created a secure and peaceful environment;

 Build resilience by helping communities prevent, anticipate, prepare for, cope with, and recover from conflicts through economic empowerment

 Investment in food security through infrastructural development.

In conclusion, an approach to synergizing national security and food security should be multifaceted to ensure sustainability. This way livelihoods, resources, and economies are harnessed to ensure that the process of producing and supplying food is safe for all and that all persons have access to sufficient, readily available, quality food by the year 2030.

The Author

Ogbole Esther

''As an agriculture enthusiast, I have long had a passion for contributing my quota to the growth and development of the Nigeria agricultural sector and this birthed an interest in research to see what and how precisely agricultural strategies are implemented in developed economies of the world and how they can be adapted to suit the Nigerian scenario''.

Rebuilding for better: Policies for post-COVID-19.

For a long time, one of the reasons deemed responsible for slow progress in the diversification efforts of economies in parts of sub-Saharan Africa was Rural-Urban Migration, which has seen large numbers of young people moving into the already crowded big cities in search of better opportunities. Informal job roles in rural communities within the agriculture value chains have been abandoned for ‘decent’ employments in cities, leaving fewer hands to produce our much-needed farm foods and resurrect our economies through the exportation of cash crops. This begs the question, ‘what happens after the coronavirus pandemic?' What will be the new normal for food production, cost of inputs and access to new markets, with jobs lost and businesses shutting their doors for good, what policies should be adopted to help us rebuild our food systems for a food-secure future.

The world found ways to move on from several plagues in the past, such as, the Black Death (1346-1353), which was said to have changed the course of Europe’s history, the Flu pandemic (1889-1890) killing over a million people, the Spanish flu (1918-1920) of over 500 million cases of which no less than one-fifth died from it, and many others. One similarity about these past incidents is that the world devised ways to re-build all that was lost and move on, but what about lessons learnt? Especially on how vulnerable and outdated our systems are.

Before the Covid-19 global pandemic, the United Nations had a global target of ending hunger and poverty (SDGs 1 and 2) among 15 other goals, by the year 2030, it was projected that the global food production will need to increase by anywhere from 25-70% between now and 2050 in order to feed our growing population. These projections from available data, informed food policies in many countries of the world and formed bases for intervention programmes in developing countries. Now, more than ever, the impact of Covid-19 on achieving sustainable development goals 1 and 2 is likely to cost us additional years than earlier planned as we have seen a rapid rise in the number of hungry children and families around the world. Local economies are halted, and countries are at the verge of falling into a recession. The affordability and accessibility to essential food items are limited in vulnerable communities, leaving many households hungry and impoverished

Post-COVID-19 will see drastic changes in many sectors around the world, for sub-Saharan Africa to build on lessons learned from this global pandemic, re-building for a better food system will require: 

• Drawing lessons from previous events to design better policies: Policies that facilitate the transfer of food products to places where they are most needed, policies around the export of agricultural products and Fairtrade.
• Developing standards for agriculture in emergencies: Ensuring access to food in the middle of a global pandemic was never considered by most governments of developing countries, developing a working plan for similar incidence gives us a better fighting chance against future pandemics.
• Investing in environmental and sustainable food production research: Investing in research aimed at sustainable ways of growing our food without causing harm to our environment is vital as climate change, in a few years maybe more severe than a global pandemic.
• Prioritizing the needs of those who grow our food: The people who grow our food are some of the poorest in our communities and the least considered for capacity building opportunities and capital incentives.
• Appropriate budgeting for the agricultural sector: Adequate budget allocation will increase the reach of intervention programmes, capacity building and technological advancement in sub-Saharan Africa’s agriculture.
• Resume an inquiry into existing ministries of agriculture, environment and other regulatory agencies to understand the work that they do and how this has changed over the years in line with the needs of our growing population.

Our collective effort will determine how effectively we rebuild our communities, countries and economies post-COVID-19, embracing changes we have seen as effective and modifying those that are less effective. Young people in agriculture, especially, have a role to play in building a more-resilient food sector within our different countries.

 The Author

Lilian Umeakunne

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.

SOILS AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Soil resources are at the center of spurring economic growth across the globe, because in addition to other benefits, soils anchor the well being of natural and human resources that foster strengthened global economies. The soil is so important that it contributes meaningfully to at least six (6) of the seventeen (17) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the achievement of the United Nation’s agenda for sustainable development by the year 2030.

Source: doorcountypulse

I bet a lot of us have never thought so highly of the soils we trample upon daily and pay little attention to? Well, this article seeks to enlighten readers on the relationship or the place of soils in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

SDG 1 – No Poverty: the first on the United Nations SDG’s is the achievement of a world with no poverty by ending all forms of poverty everywhere including in developing nations of the world. Agriculture owing to its numerous benefits plays a major role in eradicating poverty especially amongst the rural population who depend mainly on agricultural activities for survival and improved livelihoods. Beyond increasing farmer’s income, in eradicating poverty, agriculture lowers food price volatility, increases food supply, creates more job opportunities and contributes to nation building. However, it is also pertinent to note that in agreement with Parikh and James (2012), soils have an underlying role as the foundation for agriculture and agricultural production, which makes soil resources a major role player in eradicating poverty globally.

SDG 2 – Zero Hunger: According to Kopittke, Menzies, Wang, McKenna and Lombi (2019), soils account for 98.8% of the food produced globally.  The Sustainable Development Goal 2 seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. This invariably implies that if soils are the largest medium for sustainable food production across the globe, then they have a direct impact on the achievement of food and nutrition security, considering that soil-less agriculture by itself may not be sufficient to meet up with the increase in global food demands as a result of industrialization and rapidly increasing human population. It is based on this that Soil Scientists make a common chant – “No soil, No food production”.

SDG 3 – Good Health and Well Being: how can we “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” if there is not enough nutritious food to cater to human nutrient needs, or if our degrading environmental resources put us at risk of water pollution, flooding, soil erosion, desertification and so on? Beyond contributing to economic growth through increased agricultural production, healthy soils have a major role to play in the preservation of environmental resources, as they contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation, ensure the availability of clean air by providing a medium for tree growth, storage of carbon, regulate temperature and basically serves as foundation for ecosystem functionalities, thus ensuring that humans across the globe maintain good health and well being.

SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitization: soil is an integral part of the water cycle. According to Sindelar (2015) for Soil Science Society of America, the aforementioned is seen in the soils functionality of capturing water, serving as a natural water reservoir, as well as a natural filter in ensuring that clean water is available for all, at all times, thus contributing to the achievement of SDG 6 which seeks to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. Target 6.3 identifies the need to improve water quality by reducing pollution and this can be achieved through healthy soils, as soils that are polluted invariably lead to polluted water bodies through surface runoffs thus endangering humans and the environment.

SDG 13  - Climate Action: the European Environment Agency in a publication released in 2019, stated that soils and climate change have a conjunct relationship because soils are the second largest Carbon sink, giving soils the opportunity to naturally trap carbon stocks. In addition, soils provide a platform for plant growth in the form of trees and generally, crop covers that ensure that carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored. This enables soils to contribute meaningfully to “taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”. In climate change adaptation, healthy soils with high organic matter content have the potentials to hold water in terms of excessive rainfall, thus hindering floods and soil erosion and emphasizing the role of soils in both climate change adaptation and mitigation.

SDG 15 – Life on Land: this goal seeks to “protect, store and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, more sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”. Globally, nutrient imbalance; acidification; organic carbon loss; soil leaching; soil erosion and so on are major threats and causal factors of land degradation (FAO, 2015). This puts land/soil resources at risk in meeting environmental and economic needs (through progressive and sustainable agriculture). This invariably implies that to ensure that there is life on land, soil resources need to be protected and put to efficient use and this can be achieved through the promotion of sustainable soil management practices such as precision nutrient management in the form of soil analysis; application of site specific fertilizer products; ensuring soils are protected through cover cropping and so on. On the other aspects of the goal, soils are required to sustainably manage forests because it is the medium upon which forests are formed. Combating desertification also requires soils for afforestation and reforestation and other methods of cover cropping to serve as wind breaks.

The role of soils in the achievement of these SDGs further emphasizes the important role soils have to play in human existence. This calls for collective actions to ensure that soil resources are effectively managed as earlier stated to ensure that by 2030, we have a world void of poverty, food and nutrition secured that will ensure healthy living with reversed effects of climate change.

References

European Environment Agency (2019): Soil, Land and Climate Change. An article published on the European Environment Agency website. https://www.eea.europa.eu/signals/signals-2019-content-list/articles/soil-land-and-climate-changeood

Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO (2015): Status of the World’s Soil Resources: Main Report

Kopittke, P. M., Menzies, N. W., Wang, P., McKenna, B. A.&Lombi, E. (2019): Soil and the Intensification of Agriculture for Global Food Security. Environmental International, Vol. 132.

Parikh, S. J. & James, B. R. (2012) Soil: The Foundation of Agriculture. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):2

Sindelar, M. (2015): Soils Overview: Soils Clean and Capture Water. Soil Science Society of America, April, 2015.

Soil Science Society of America (2013): Why is Soil Important? https://soils.org/files/science-policy/sssa-marketing-2013.pdf

Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform: Sustainable Development Goals. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

Author:

Ogbole Esther

'As an agricultural enthusiast, I have long had a passion for contributing my quota to the growth and development of the Nigeria agricultural sector and this birthed an interest in research to see what and how precisely agricultural strategies are implemented in developed economies of the world and how they can be adapted to suit the Nigerian scenario''.

AGRICULTURE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.

Written by Lilian Umeakunne

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

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

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.

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