Climate Change In Sub-Saharan Africa Research Articles

Building an Indigenous Agro-pastoral Adaptation Framework to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa: Experiences from the North West Region of Cameroon

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), among other regions of the world, stands today as one of the hardest hit areas as far as the concomitants of climate change is concerned. This is particularly the case with the agro-pastoral sector which is the lifeblood of most of the economies of this region with about 85% of the indigenous populations relying on agriculture for their survival. Both long and short term climatic oscillations have succeeded to disrupt crop and livestock output thus signaling threats to food security. Although the communities have either consciously or unconsciously made use of some indigenous adaptation strategies, they are judged to be weak at the moment. This requires the designation of context-specific agro-pastoral adaptation frameworks. Using focus group discussions (FGDs) of 6 agro-pastoral groups (10 representatives each) in this region, complemented by field surveys and the extensive review of literature on case studies for other SSA communities, we analyze the knowledge, perceptions and adaptation strategies for individual agro-pastoral households in rural Cameroon. Our analysis of data leads us to conclude that future climatic situation is characterized by increasing unpredictability, introducing shocks of varying degrees in the crop and livestock sector necessitating varying formal and informal mechanisms. Current adaptation measures rely mainly on crop diversification and mixed farming. Although these methods are good, the scale of operation and the degree of diversification is still low to climate-proof the agro-pastoral sector. Furthermore, these changes are introduced in the midst of poor farming practices such as slash and burn and ankara systems. Current indigenous adaptation strategies are weak and have a connection with income levels, level of farmers organizations, knowledge and perception.

Adapting maize production to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa

Given the accumulating evidence of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa, there is an urgent need to develop more climate resilient maize systems. Adaptation strategies to climate change in maize systems in sub-Saharan Africa are likely to include improved germplasm with tolerance to drought and heat stress and improved management practices. Adapting maize systems to future climates requires the ability to accurately predict future climate scenarios in order to determine agricultural responses to climate change and set priorities for adaptation strategies. Here we review the projected climate change scenarios for Africa’s maize growing regions using the outputs of 19 global climate models. By 2050, air temperatures are expected to increase throughout maize mega- environments within sub-Saharan Africa by an average of 2.1°C. Rainfall changes during the maize growing season varied with location. Given the time lag between the development of improved cultivars until the seed is in the hands of farmers and adoption of new management practices, there is an urgent need to prioritise research strategies on climate change resilient germplasm development to offset the predicted yield declines.

Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Need for Better Evidence

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has contributed the least of any world region to the global accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions; however, this region will probably be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than any other [1]. Less than 7% of the world's total emissions of greenhouse gases emanate from the African continent [2]; thus the continent contributes very little overall to climate change. Yet the highest regional burden of climate change is likely to be borne by SSA, with 34% of the global disability adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to the effects of climate change in the region [3]. The impacts of climate change are likely to be concentrated in low-income countries where poor populations already have compromised heath prospects, health systems are weak, and where the capacity to adapt and address vulnerabilities is limited. However, to mount a proper response there are some fundamental constraints that need to be addressed, which we further discuss in this Essay.

Building A Strong Information And Communication Intervention Strategy For Climate Change In Sub-Saharan Africa

The adoption of various information and communication intervention measures offers a veritable tool in creating public awareness on climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa which is most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Such intervention in climate change information and communication strategy include: use of Research Extension Farmer Information Linkage System (REFILS), which makes use of village extension workers to disseminate climate change information to rural dwellers, use of print and electronic media such as newspapers, magazines, radio and television, encouraging public participation, use of traditional knowledge and information systems, and building a strong environmental information systems, and building a strong environmental information policy on climate change in line with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC) and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) respectively. The application of these measures and observing good environmental practices as well as sustainable agricultural technologies will reduce climate change induced problems in the sub-region.

The Economic Impacts of Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of climate change on trade and competitiveness in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries and to address the implications for managing the impacts, including the options for mitigation and adaptation. The African continent is particularly vulnerable to climate change for a variety of reasons including the fact that the majority of the countries are reliant on agriculture, which is particularly sensitive to climate change and variability. Furthermore, the low per capita incomes and the existing stresses present unique challenges to adapting to climate change. Forecasts indicate that agricultural productivity decline for SSA as a whole could be about 28% on average without carbon fertilisation by the 2080s, and about 18% with carbon fertilisation. However, these figures mask the extreme nature of the losses for some countries. For example, for countries that are dependent on dryland agriculture, productivity losses could be as much as 100%. The study simulated the macroeconomic implications of the decline in agricultural productivity using a computable general equilibrium model of the world economy. It was found that GDP increases for the EU, Japan and the US but decreases by significant amounts in the SSA region. The terms of trade declines in SSA, leading to a reduction of disposable incomes and hence a reduction in welfare. Issues and challenges relating to adaptation and mitigation, as well as options for managing the impact of climate change and the role of key stakeholders, are discussed.