Climate Change and Failed Seasons May Put African Small-Scale Farmers at Risk

Climate change may be impacting some farmers more than others. Scientists have found that small-scale family farmers across Africa are being overwhelmed with the pact and severity of climate change.

"Smallholder farmers are the mainstay of food production across sub-Saharan Africa," said Jane Karuku, president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), in a news release. "As climate change turns up the heat, the continent's food security and its ability to generate economic growth that benefits poor Africans-most of whom are farmers-depends on our ability to adapt to more stressful conditions."

In this case, the researchers found that a growing risk of "failed seasons" will have major impacts on yield. Climate change will affect both the average length of the growing season and rainfall variability. In East and Central Africa, the area suitable for growing common beans could decline by an estimated 25 to 80 percent. In addition, land suitable for cultivating bananas could fall by 25 percent in the Sahel and 8 percent in West Africa.

Already, these changes are underway. Parts of Angola became unfarmable following three years of poor rainfall and drought. In addition, increased drought will impact livestock. In the 1980s and 90s, for example, protracted drought killed up to 60 percent of the cattle herds in Niger, Botswana and Etiopia.

The findings reveal exactly how important it will be to create adaptation strategies for the future. As climate change continues to impact the region, integrating formal and informal knowledge systems and building agricultural infrastructure, such as rural roads and irrigation, will be crucial.

"Helping smallholders adapt to climate challenges today will prepare them for even more serious challenges in the future," said David Sarfo Ameyaw, managing editor of the new report. "When farmers are able to employ climate-smart techniques, it makes a huge difference. Despite climate change, there is enormous potential for smallholder-led agricultural growth. But there is an urgent need to increase investments to expand climate-smart agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa."