Africa can Increase Food Yield Despite Climate Change Challenges, Says ECA’s Dione

At the recent United Nations COP17 climate change conference in Durban, South Africa, experts determined that Africa does have the potential to adapt to climate change implications in the continent and even quadruple production. “Strategies require first action to connect farmers to inputs and product markets through a value chain approach, private sector agro-input, agro processing, agri-business service as well as economies of scale and vertical coordination,” said Josue Dione, Director of Food Security and Sustainable Development at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). If continued at its current rate, temperature increase in Africa will lead to the loss of 22% of its maize and 17% of its sorghum/millet by 2050. Currently only “3.5% of arable land is irrigated and about 9% of world fertilizer is used in Africa.”

http://www1.uneca.org/TabId/3018/Default.aspx?ArticleId=5

 

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