Aligning to the realities of Climate Change through Climate Smart Agriculture

Climate refers to the weather conditions prevailing in an area measured by assessing the patterns of variation in temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, precipitation, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological variables over long periods of time.

Climate change by definition is therefore a large scale and long term shift in the statistical distribution of these weather patterns. Of all the long term changes in weather pattern, increase in temperature has attracted a global attention.

The earth contain greenhouse gases namely Water-vapour (H2O) Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Ozone (O3) and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

When sunlight reaches the surface of the earth, some of it is absorbed by the greenhouse gases and are then redirected back towards the earth to warm it. This process is called greenhouse effect. Without the greenhouse effect, the earth would be would a very cold place much than it is now and life would be difficult.

However, increase in the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere has led to increase in the earth temperature. This is termed global warming.

Global warming is primarily a problem of too much greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. As we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas for energy or cut down and burn forests, carbon accumulates and overloads our atmosphere. Certain waste management also contributes to the problem by releasing other potent global warming gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere.

A warmer Earth, from global warming, will lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans.

Effects of Climate Change include:

Melting of Glaciers and ice: leading to rise in sea levels, flooding and destruction of the ecosystem.

Increase in sea-surface temperatures: Leading to death of about a quarter of the world's coral reefs in the last few decades.

Increase in the temperatures of large lakes: Leading to rise in algal blooms and favouring invasive species, increase stratification in lakes and lower lake levels.

Heavier rainfall: Leading to flooding and erosion. More intense rainfall events in some areas causing plants to die and animals migrating to other areas.

Extreme drought: Higher temperatures cause a higher rate of evaporation and more droughts in some areas of the world.

Crops are withering: Increased temperatures and extreme drought are causing a decline in crop productivity around the world.  

Ecosystems are changing: As temperatures warm, species may either move to a cooler habitat or die. 

Intense hurricanes. 

Diseases:  With the increase in the rainfall, water borne diseases are likely to spread like malaria.

Seawater is becoming more acidic.: Carbon dioxide dissolving into the oceans, is making seawater more acidic. There could be impacts on coral reefs and other marine life.

Heat Waves: causing dangerously hot weather. More deaths have occurred due to heat waves than in the last sixty years.

Frequent Wildfires: leading to decline in wildlife.

Health Risks: As more carbon dioxide is trapped in the atmosphere, breathable air becomes harder to come by.

Economic Collapse: Climate change will lead to decreased vitality of crops, productions, and manufacturing items. Human population will also decrease.

Climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality. (it will be more difficult to grow crops, raise animals, and catch fish in waters).

As Climate change is a threat to global food security, sustainable development and poverty eradication, there is however the need to combat effect of climate change on agriculture through climate smart agriculture.

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) helps to guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security in a changing climate.

Climate Smart Agriculture is an approach aimed at increasing agricultural production under the realities of climate change. CSA has three objectives namely:

Increase agricultural production

Build resilience to climate change

Reduce/remove GHG emission

Africa countries must wake up to the realities of climate change and must begin to take steps to mitigate the effect of this change on Agriculture. Climate-smart agriculture could be the only way to feed our planet in the nearest future.

The African continent must adopt the following measures as climate smart agricultural initiatives:

Establishment of an Agricultural Information and Decision Support System to provide agro-meteorological information for early warning on flooding, erosion, drought etc.

Research institutes must develop high-yielding, early-maturing and drought resistant crop varieties.

Creating more awareness on Greenhouse farming. Greenhouses create favourable growing environment for crops and also protect the plants from adverse climatic conditions.

Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM).

Developing disease resistant varieties of crops.

Changing from local breeds of livestock to crossbreeds.

Developing irrigation systems for areas deficit in rainfall.

Develop soil erosion control.

Developing a comprehensive agro forestry policy.

Conservation Agriculture (CA) through zero tillage to increase amount of water that infiltrates into the soil and also increase organic matter.

Written by Kehinde S. Jimoh