Rising global temperatures threaten to worsen South Africa’s food insecurity problem.
What’s happening?
According to Cape Town ETC, reduced rainfall caused by higher temperatures will impact the country’s agricultural industry, reducing production 50% by 2050. This will expand food insecurity across the country, an issue already affecting 1 in 5.
By 2050, the changing climate will increase maize, or corn, yield variability by 25%, further raising prices and imperiling livelihoods. Cape Town ETC noted that maize is a staple crop for poor households, and its cost is now jumping by 30% each year because of climate impacts.
“Ensuring that more people have access to adequate, affordable and nutritious food calls for a new approach to supporting the agricultural sector that integrates enterprise development and climate adaptation strategies,” said Stellenbosch Business School research fellow Roscoe van Wyk, per Cape Town ETC.
South Africa has a goal of creating 1 million new agricultural jobs and fostering an “integrated and inclusive rural economy” by 2030, but it will require improving productivity.
Why is this important?
Cape Town ETC said productivity growth is “two to three times more effective at reducing poverty than equivalent growth in other sectors such as mining or manufacturing,” since agriculture boosts the food supply in addition to jobs and incomes.
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High food prices disproportionately affect low-income individuals, who have to spend a large portion of their money on food. Van Wyk told the outlet that his research shows if food prices rise 1%, household welfare falls by 20%. This means people are unable to afford healthcare, education, safety, and other basic human rights.
Poverty is also worse in rural areas, which are dependent on small, subsistence farms as well as the agricultural value chain, which includes jobs and farmers’ markets. Growing populations are an issue, too, as food supplies aren’t enough to feed the people who are already here.
“The impact of climate change is experienced not only in decreasing rainfall and higher temperatures which reduce crop yields,” Van Wyk told Cape Town ETC.
“But also in the rising incidence of extreme weather events such as less frequent but heavier rainfall leading to floods, interspersed with longer, harsher periods of drought. These impact substantially on livestock and crop health and production, while damage to infrastructure from extreme weather events disrupts agricultural and food supply chains.”
What’s being done about lower crop yields and food insecurity?
Improving yields as the climate continues to make farming more difficult will require more support from governments and companies. Researchers are working to develop heat- and drought-resistant produce as one way to move toward a sustainable future.
Individuals can also help by shopping locally and supporting small farms, which reduces the need for mass-produced food that must be transported great distances and stored for long periods of time.
Stretch your budget by shopping smarter at the grocery store and using leftovers in creative ways. Eating a plant-based diet can be beneficial as well, as meat products are more expensive and contribute significantly to the climate crisis that is causing this dilemma.
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