Abstract
AbstractFood security is a major public health priority in Cameroon, amidst climate change and sea level rise (CC/SLR), vis-à-vis the ever-increasing population growth with associated challenges. CC/SLR, singly or combine, is well known to have severe impacts on agricultural productivity, food security, socioeconomic activities and ecosystem (environment, plant and animal) health systems in coastal areas. They contribute to natural disasters including erosion, flooding, inundation of coastal lowlands, and saltwater intrusion, altogether reducing agricultural productivity. Additionally, these disasters provoke adverse animal, human, and environmental health implications; reduction in tourism; and potential close of some socioeconomic activities that constitute secondary (after agriculture), or main source of livelihood/income for many coastal indigents. Although there are inadequate reports on the impacts of CC/SLR, preliminary reports point to negative effects on crop production and socioeconomic activities in coastal Cameroon. This chapter highlights the susceptibility of coastal Cameroon agriculture and socioeconomic activities to CC/SLR. Furthermore, it has propose agricultural (CC/SLR and non-climatic) and educational intervention socioeconomic strategies for the mitigation and adaptation to CC/SLR and for sustainable agricultural productivity in coastal Cameroon. The proposed strategies may provide a small contribution toward a wider multi-stakeholder pool of strategies and which, when applied, may enhance food security in coastal Cameroon amidst CC/SLR and promote socioeconomic and touristic activities while reducing negative implications on animal, plant, human, and environmental health.
Highlights
Food security is a major concern in feeding the world’s estimated 9.8 billion people by 2050 (Worldometer 2020)
Coastal areas are likely to be more vulnerable to climate change than inland areas because, in addition to changes in flooding, temperature, and precipitation, coastal lowlands are frequently affected by sea level rise (SLR) and sea wave heights
Considering the climate change and sea level rise (CC/SLR) projected likelihood of high-risk flooding in the lowlands of coastal West Africa by 2080 (Nicholls and Tol 2006), there is a need for constant monitoring and timely mitigating actions to salvage coastal Cameroon from the natural disaster
Summary
Food security is a major concern in feeding the world’s estimated 9.8 billion people by 2050 (Worldometer 2020). These factors include increase in temperature, fluctuation in rainfall (periods and amounts) and population growth, and sea level rise Their effects on coastal agricultural productivity and sustainability may be a concern (Schiermeier 2018). Coastal Cameroon’s agricultural productivity is likely already and may continue to experience adverse impacts of climate change and sea level rise (CC/SLR) especially in terms of area of inundation, soil erosion, flooding, salinity intrusion, and reduction in crop production. This may have serious repercussions on farmers, food security and safety, as well as on the ecosystem (plant, animal and human) health. This chapter highlights the vulnerabilities of coastal Cameroon’s agricultural productivity and ecosystem health to CC/SLR induced hazards, with proposed mitigation strategies
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