Climate change and food security in Africa

African food security: A Ugandan man tends to his garden in Arokwo Village, Kapchorwa, Uganda in 2009 (Kate Holt/AusAID)

Climate change in Africa is reducing its food security.[1] Climate change at the global, continental, and sub-continental levels has been observed to include an increase in air and ocean temperatures, sea-level rise, a decrease in snow and ice extent, an increase and decrease in precipitation, changes in terrestrial and marine biological systems, and ocean acidification.[2] The agricultural industry is responsible for more than 60% of full time employment in Africa. Millions of people in Africa depend on the agricultural industry for their economic well-being and means of subsistence.[3] A variety of climate change-related factors such as worsening pests and diseases that damage agriculture and livestock, altered rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, droughts, and floods are having a negative impact on the agricultural industry in Africa.[4] Many African populations access to food is being impacted by these climate change effects on the agricultural industry, which result in a trend of decreasing crop yields, animal losses, and rising food prices.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ "How Africa Can Escape Chronic Food Insecurity Amid Climate Change". IMF. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  2. ^ Ofori, Samuel Appiah; Cobbina, Samuel Jerry; Obiri, Samuel (2021). "Climate Change, Land, Water, and Food Security: Perspectives From Sub-Saharan Africa". Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 5. doi:10.3389/fsufs.2021.680924. ISSN 2571-581X.
  3. ^ Beltran-Peña, A., & D’Odorico, P. (2022). Future food security in Africa under climate change. Earth's Future, 10, e2022EF002651. https://doi. org/10.1029/2022EF002651
  4. ^ Welsh, Caitlin (2021). "The Effects of Climate Change in Africa." (Report). Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
  5. ^ FAO Regional Office for Africa (2009). Climate change in Africa: The threat to agriculture. Gamel Abdul Nasser Road, Accra: FAO Regional Office for Africa.
  6. ^ The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020. FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2020. doi:10.4060/ca9692en. ISBN 978-92-5-132901-6.
  7. ^ Ortiz-Bobea, Ariel; Ault, Toby R.; Carrillo, Carlos M.; Chambers, Robert G.; Lobell, David B. (2021-04-01). "Anthropogenic climate change has slowed global agricultural productivity growth". Nature Climate Change. 11 (4): 306–312. arXiv:2007.10415. Bibcode:2021NatCC..11..306O. doi:10.1038/s41558-021-01000-1. ISSN 1758-6798.