Coping better with current climatic variability in the rain-fed farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa: An essential first step in adapting to future climate change?

Abstract

Rain-fed agriculture will remain the dominant source of staple food production and the livelihood foundation of the majority of the rural poor in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Greatly enhanced investment in agriculture by a broad range of stakeholders will be required if this sector is to meet the food security requirements of tomorrow's Africa. However, production uncertainty associated with between and within season rainfall variability remains a fundamental constraint to many investors who often over estimate the negative impacts of climate induced uncertainty. Climate change is likely to make matters worse with increases in rainfall variability being predicted. The ability of agricultural communities and agricultural stakeholders in SSA to cope better with the constraints and opportunities of current climate variability must first be enhanced for them to be able to adapt to climate change and the predicted future increase in climate variability. Tools and approaches are now available that allow for a better understanding, characterization and mapping of the agricultural implications of climate variability and the development of climate risk management strategies specifically tailored to stakeholders needs. Application of these tools allows the development and dissemination of targeted investment innovations that have a high probability of biophysical and economic success in the context of climate variability.

From aid to responsible trade: driving competitive aquaculture sector development in Kenya : Quick scan of robustness, reliability and resilience of the aquaculture sector

“…A further decline in rainfall in this area of East Africa is likely to occur in the future (Funk et al 2008). Production uncertainty associated with rainfall variability remains a fundamental constraint to many investors (Cooper et al 2008); in some areas, the impact of climate change may lead to abandonment of cropping altogether.…”

Climate change risks for African agriculture

“…Even though African farmers already use a broad variety of mechanisms to cope with variable weather conditions and adapt to climate change (e.g., ref. 22), improved strategies for increasing resilience and coping with risks are still needed in many parts of Africa (23,24).…”

Farmer portfolios, strategic diversity management and climate-change adaptation – implications for policy in Vietnam and Kenya

“…It was assumed that farmers base their managed diversity portfolios on recalled performance in past extreme weather events and that analysis of past and existing portfolios would be an appropriate entry point for defining appropriate policy to help reduce human exposure to climate variability. Our argument is based on the observation that diversity-based approaches to agriculture have been used by farmers for thousands of years to minimize risk and to ensure at least some productivity in unfavourable years (Cooper et al, 2008;Lin, 2011). Therefore, policy support to promote what farmers like, and are familiar with, would bring the best result.…”