Do African Farmers Suffer Losses Caused by Climate Change?

Do African Farmers Suffer Losses Caused by Climate Change?

Key Words: Climate change, drought management, environmental degradation.

Introduction

Climate change has become international distress over the years due to its impacts, including drought, heatwaves, and changes in rainfall patterns. These impacts have increased losses to crops and properties as well as costly disruptions to communities. Climate change involves altering the earth’s environmental conditions resulting from various external and internal factors such as poor waste management, deforestation, agriculture, and power plants. As a result, pollution, climate change, and environmental degradation are crises that need immediate actions and mitigation. Therefore, the big question is why Kenyan farmers should lead in fighting the climate change war currently experienced in Kajiado County.

The Problem

Kenya has experienced low rainfall over the years, with 2020 and 2021 being the worst hit. In Kenya’s Kajiado County, farmers struggle with food insecurity resulting from prolonged drought, livestock deaths due to lack of pasture, and desert locust infestations with a hotter climate. Besides, the food insecurities have been caused by losses emanating from the loss of crops and livestock, and birds invading farms since there is no other food for them. This has led to health and nutrition problems for children and lactating mothers as well as low household purchasing power as Kenya depends on agriculture as the main economic activity. According to Lillian (2022), “climate change-induced food insecurity is worsening the plight of smallholders.”

The Significance of the Problem to Environment and the Proposed Solution

More frequent and severe heat waves have adversely affected the environment, causing the rivers and springs to dry. Crops are drying, and the ecosystem continues to get destroyed. Nonetheless, the government of Kenya is providing relief food to the affected citizens. Farmers have resulted in drip irrigation, planting drought-tolerant crops, and planting trees and shrubs. Moreover, the government is also providing food solutions to women for their children by giving them jobs of planting and harvesting in addition to better land and herd management to reduce overgrazing. Lilian mentioned that the government needs to invest in the constant water supply at the country level, including establishing water pans and dams, and exploring climate-smart innovations. She also recommends increased availability of livestock markets in the course of the drought to decrease animal loss and employ market-based livestock restocking programs after drought.

Solution and Conclusion

Despite the solutions provided by the government, I still believe that more need to be done in order to shield the Kenyan citizens from climate change, including;

·       Drought management.

·       Raising awareness on climate change and global warming.

·       Partnering with more stakeholders like the Meteorological department to provide weather forecasts prior to help in better planning.

·       Energy efficiency.

·       Water harvesting in dams and domestic storage.

·       Water efficiency in crop irrigation.

·       Geothermal and clean energy development.

·       The government of Kenya should invest in large-scale projects like dams to ensure a constant water supply (USAID, 2020).

·       Discourage deforestation to reduce the climate imbalance.

·       Adaptation, afforestation, and reforesting.

·       Drilling boreholes for irrigation, maintaining gardens, and watering livestock.

Generally, in these harsh conditions, farmers need to remain resilient in food production and, where possible, share food that is available from the abundant to avoid suffering losses caused by climate change.

References

Lillian, S. (2022). Kenyan farmers suffer losses as climate change grips. Sub-Saharan Africa. https://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/feature/kenyan-farmers-suffer-losses-as-climate-change-grips/

USAID. (2020). Kenya Climate Change Fact Sheet. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Kenya_Climate_Change_Country_Fact_Sheet.pdf