Abstract
Climate change and variability are common phenomena that affect crop productivity globally but with significant differences between different regions of the world. Studies of the impacts of these phenomena on Irish potato –Solanum tuberosum L.-production within Tubah Sub-Division based on records of precipitation and temperatures from 1995 to 2015, indicated an increasing mean annual temperature rate of 0.09 0C per year and a slight increasing annual rainfall rate of 25.8 mm per year. Potato yields within the same period equally increased by 1.26 t/ha per year until 2012 when the yields started decreasing due to a correspondingly marked increase in both temperature and rainfall. The drop in potato yields has also been attributed to disease infestation such as potato blight and rot which are favoured by the increases in temperature and rainfall. Statistical correlation and regression analyses of these data revealed that the potato yields showed weak positive correlations with temperature (R= 0.02) and with rainfall (R= 0.12). Results from questionnaire survey, focus group discussions and semistructured interviews indicated that the potato crop (63 %) of most farmers were negatively affected by climate change and variability through the increased sporadic rainfall which enhanced potato blight and rot. Some adaptation strategies to these climatic factors are already being practised by most farmers (81 %) who are making use of a combination of fertilizers, pesticides, improved seeds and irrigation practices to remedy the situation although further approaches such as the use of resistant species are necessary towards improving on the dwindling potato yields. Keywords : Climate, Change, Variability, Tubah Sub Division, Irish Potato, Adaptation Strategies, Cameroon.
Highlights
Several pieces of evidence have shown that climate change is real and poses serious consequences on the suitability and productivity of current agriculture in specific agro-ecological zones of the world as well as on the incidence and severity of diseases affecting crops (IPCC, 2007)
Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) were held with some of the Irish potato farmers group within the sub division to get information on the impact of climate change and variability on potato and how they are adapting to the changes in temperature and rainfall
Temperature and rainfall trends in Tubah Sub Division had increased between 1995 and 2015 in conformity with the statement of the IPCC (2007) that, recent warming of the climate system is obvious as it is evident from observations of increases in global average air temperatures, melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level, and that, global surface temperature has increased by 0.74 °C during the hundred years ending in 2005
Summary
Several pieces of evidence have shown that climate change is real and poses serious consequences on the suitability and productivity of current agriculture in specific agro-ecological zones of the world as well as on the incidence and severity of diseases affecting crops (IPCC, 2007). Recent warming of the climate system is suggested by the observations of increases in rising global average sea level, melting of snow and ice and global average air temperatures (IPCC, 2007). Global Climate Models project a rise in global temperature by 1.8 °C to 4 °C by the year 2100. According to NCAR (2016), climate change can affect food availability, access, utilization, and the stability of each of these over time. Short term climatic variability has become more frequent and its impact on agriculture is felt across the continent
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