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African smallholders reeling from climate change impacts: expert

Xinhua, December 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Extreme weather events that are linked to global warming have impacted negatively on millions of African smallholders who are currently grappling with crop failure, food insecurity and declining incomes, an expert said on Monday.

Agnes Kalibata, President of Nairobi-based Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) said at a commentary published by a Kenyan daily that a sluggish response to climate change will expose African small scale farmers to destitution.

"Rising temperatures will impact negatively on Africa's agro-ecological landscapes, aggravate crop failure and loss of livelihood for smallholders," Kalibata said.

The African continent contributes less than 3 percent of green house gas emissions yet has suffered disproportionately from impacts of global warming like drought, floods and spread of infectious diseases.

Kalibata noted that climate change impacts to smallholders have manifested profoundly in the Southern African region where production of staples like maize, wheat and soya has reduced.

"Many countries in Southern Africa have experienced widespread crop failures due to Elnino phenomenon linked to climate change," said Kalibata singling out Malawi as the epicenter of a historical drought that has wiped away decades of agriculture successes.

According to Kalibata, maize harvest in Malawi reduced by 16 percent in 2016 due to a prolonged dry spell hence forcing the country to incur a huge food import bill.

"In the Malawi regions hardest hit by drought, harvest declined by 70 percent while farmers in some areas could not plant as the rains did not come,"Kalibata remarked.

A rejuvenated global action on climate change is an imperative in order to rescue subsistence farming in Africa that is 70 percent dependent on rainfall.

Kalibata urged world leaders to hasten implementation of Paris Climate deal that seeks to limit temperatures rise to an average of 2 degree centigrade.

"The prosperity of Africa and its agriculture will also depend on how well farmers are able to adapt to a changing climate," Kalibata said.

She added that irrigated farming, crop insurance and introduction of drought tolerant varieties will shield African smallholders from climate induced vagaries. Endit