Climate Change would cause losses to Agriculture, African Union Official warns

By Mohammed M.Mupenda

Agriculture in Africa is likely to experience significant production losses as the planet warms due to effects of climate change ,unless farmers practice climate smart agriculture, an African Union (AU) official said on Monday.

Increase in global temperatures and rainfall reduction due to climate change poses a serious threat to agriculture production in Africa as many farmers in Africa still practice traditional subsistence farming, Josefa Sacko, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union, said at the Africa Food Security Leadership Dialogue in Rwandan capital Kigali.

Africa is more vulnerable to climate change’s disastrous effects than others because of its high dependency on agriculture as a means of survival, said Sacko.

Actionable collaboration among farmers, policy makers, development partners and government leaders is needed for adapting African agriculture to climate change, she said.

According to her, much is needed to drive climate smart agriculture agenda and highlight its importance in achieving increased agricultural yield and productivity on the continent.

AU is working with different countries to reduce agriculture production loss along the value chains and waste to adhere to the Paris Agreement on climate change, she said.

The meeting that runs through Tuesday seeks to find a solid action towards adaptation of Africa’s agriculture and food systems to climate change.

The two-day event brings together ministers of agriculture and finance, heads of international institutions and Regional Economic Commissions, Nobel laureates, and eminent scientists to catalyze actions and financing to help address Africa’s worsening food security crisis under climate change

About 95 percent of the food grown in Africa is very vulnerable to adverse weather conditions such as droughts and irregular rainfall, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Africa is the most food-insecure region with about 20% of the population or 256 million people undernourished, according to the joint report by Regional Office for Africa of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the United Nations for Economic Commissions for Africa.