Research has explained that Climate change means a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.
Across the globe, climate change has been a major concern and has received a lot of attention from organizations and food organizations. To mitigate this situation, a lot of African countries and western nations have come together to fight and address the situation.
Climate change was observed since the early 20th century and is primarily driven by human activities. Some of these human activities are fossil fuel burning, high use of home appliances and emission of greenhouses are some activities man has contributed to climate change.
The adverse effects of climate change are increases in global land and ocean temperature, rising sea levels, loss of ice at Earth’s poles and in mountain glaciers, frequency and severity changes in extreme weather such as heatwaves, wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, floods and precipitation.
Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Due to the emission of greenhouse gas, the earth’s temperature has increased. This has resulted in the shift of seasons, weather conditions, and the melting of glaciers.
The rate at which the climate is changing has posed a threat to the agricultural sector all over the world. Food security is very vulnerable to this issue. This is because higher temperatures lead to low yields in crop production. Aside the low yields of crops; it encourages weed and pest proliferation. In this period of climate change, the overall effects of climate change on the agricultural sector are expected to be negative, threatening global food security. Populations in the developing world that are already facing droughts are likely to be hit hard by the change in the climate.
According to McKinsey Global Institute, “Agriculture is critical to Africa’s growth and development, but climate change could destabilize local markets, curb economic growth, and heighten the risk for agricultural investments.” In the article, it was mentioned that, “Weather patterns are becoming less favourable in many instances, increasing the volatility of crop and livestock yields.” Previously, agricultural investments were high, but most investors are looking at investing in other sectors rather than the agricultural sector. This will subsequently lead to a decrease in economic growth, a rise in unemployment and consequently a loss of livelihood by most people. Economic indications across the world, especially in Africa have seen a decrease in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate. Economic growth in every country depends on the stability of the country through factors such as food independency or security and agricultural investments to broaden the market and allow business along the agricultural value chain to flow and increase.
Studies in Ethiopia’s agricultural sector have explained that wheat farmers are expected to face an 11 percent greater likelihood than today of a 10 percent or greater drop in annual yield. Going into coffee production, the chance of experiencing a 25 percent or greater drop in annual yield could rise from 3.2 percent to 4.2 percent in 2030, which represents a 31 percent increase, and a 28 percent cumulative likelihood over the next decade.
Despite the challenges imposed on the agricultural sector by climate change, financial mobilization and mitigation policies should be championed to fight climate change. Due to the unpredictable weather conditions, farmers and agricultural investors should invest in irrigation systems to get crop production working to increase yields. With this, food will be available all year round, but agricultural production must be expanded and financed adequately.
Organic practices must be adopted on the farm. The increasing use of chemical fertilizers on farms contributes to climate change. In an article written by Mazurek (2013), it was stated that, “Since the middle of the twentieth century, the industrialization of agriculture has led to widespread dependence on petroleum-based pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers in conventional farming.” On the other side, the use of organic products prohibits most synthetic inputs. This means that there is a reduction in the emission of greenhouses. Not only does organic farming contribute to the mitigation of climate change, but also promotes the health of the soil. In summary, organic farming is friendly to the climate.
Also, livestock methane emissions ought to be reduced to fight climate change. Research in California has indicated that agriculture is responsible for more than half of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, and methane emissions from beef and dairy livestock are the primary source. It was found that through anaerobic decomposition, “manure lagoons on industrial dairy and cattle farms create harmful emissions and pollute the water supply”. It was however suggested that “Holistic pasture-based livestock management through practices like rotational grazing can help to mitigate this impact since grasses provide high-quality forage that is better for cattle’s digestion, while their hooves break up soil and manure as they move through rangelands helps to fertilize the soil.”
To fight this challenging task, human activities that contribute to these factors must be controlled to minimize the risk and danger it will pose to the less developed countries in some time to come. Farmers must study weather patterns and practice an organic mode of farming due to its friendliness to the climate. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is a serious effect on the soil and the atmosphere thus needs to be given a critical look.
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