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70% of Africa’s population need farming for their livelihoods. Climate change and global warming pose a serious threat to this.

WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Global Warming and climate change are processes that are happening today and they threaten farm systems. Rising temperatures can alter lengths of growing seasons for crops and crops themselves can die out if temperatures get too hot. This is particularly likely in Africa, where the environment is generally dry – and is expected to get drier. Also, less rainfall and more extreme weather events (such as heat waves and floods) will change the amount and type of crop that can be grown.

THE IMPACT OF TEMPERATURE ON CROPS

An increase in temperatures will impact on the amount of crops that can be grown and which plants can survive. Many crops need a certain temperature to grow, for example, rice and maize both grow best when temperatures are in the range 25-30°C. Tanzania has an ideal climate for growing both these crops, but climate change means that the temperature may increase in future. This results in less rice and maize being able to be grown. In fact, it is predicted that Tanzania will produce 33% less maize by 2030 if temperatures continue to increase. Other African countries will also see crop production drop by 30% by 2100 if rainfall decreases and temperatures rise.

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WATER AND FARMING

Also, with increasing temperatures and less rainfall, there is likely to be less water available to use. As a result, farmers will have less water for their crops and so less food can be produced. Also, less water will be around for populations to drink. But, if water pumps (called aquifers) are effectively used, then water from deep underground (groundwater) can be taken out and used for growing crops. This has proved to be successful in Botswana where groundwater has been extracted to help grow maize and millet when droughts happen.

FARMERS AND THEIR CROPS

With growing populations, there is less space for people to reside. Therefore, farmland areas may need to shrink to give people space to live. Africa’s population has been growing at a very fast rate, and the continent now has 1.2 billion people. Being able to feed all these people will be difficult with crop production likely to decrease with climate change.

CLIMATE CHANGE HAS A FEW POSITIVE EFFECTS

Although farming in Africa has generally been negatively impacted by climate change, there are some positives too. The increase in temperatures has made some countries have an ideal climate for growing crops. For example, Nigeria had an average temperature ranging from 29.9-30.4°C over the past 25 years, making it good for farming. In fact, Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of yams, producing 38 million tonnes in 2012. As a result, this crop has helped to make Nigeria’s economy flourish in recent years.

THE FUTURE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

In general, climate change and a warming planet will impact negatively on farming. It is important for farmers and people to be aware of the future consequences of these changes. Crops and farming systems will be vulnerable to droughts and flooding so less crops may be grown in these conditions. Farmers are advised to use as much water as they need but store as much as they can (so they have enough when there is a drought). Also, farmers are encouraged to grow many different crops so that there is a better chance of some plants surviving if there is an extreme weather event.