Reducing Climate Risks by Improving Food Production and Value Chains: A Case of Sandy Soils in Semi-arid Kenya

Due to climate change and variability, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent worldwide, causing significant reductions in agricultural production and food security. The livelihoods of smallholder farmers, especially those eking out a living by farming on sandy soils, are particularly affected. We examined this issue using the case of Makueni County, a semi-arid area with sandy soils in south-eastern Kenya. Using survey data from 202 households, we examined extreme weather events affecting smallholder farmers and current management strategies used to mitigate the consequences. We then performed field experiments to assess potential gains of implementing sub-surface water retention technology (SWRT) in the region. Finally, we held group discussions with stakeholders in food value chains (FVC) to identify ways of managing climate risks to smallholder farmers. Analysis of the survey data showed that 199 of 202 farmers surveyed had experienced an extreme event associated with climate change and variability during the previous five years. Of these 199 farmers, 161 reported having changed their farming practices to adapt, especially to drought (70%) and increased temperature (22%). Common adaptation practices included early planting, reducing the area under cultivation, and water harvesting. In the field experiments, using SWRT resulted in a 50, 100, 150, and 170% increase in maize grain yield, cob numbers, cob weight, and maize stover biomass, respectively, compared with the control (without SWRT). Stakeholder group discussions along the FVC demonstrated a need for synergy among actors to mitigate climate risks caused by extreme weather events. These findings suggest that diversification of management strategies at farm level, combined with external inputs (new technologies, improved seeds, etc.) and services (credit access, learning from peers and professionals), will be instrumental in reducing future climate risks to smallholder farmers. Improving access to viable markets and fostering mutually beneficial linkages with post-harvest processors would add value to farm produce, thus further increasing income and the capacity of smallholder farmers to manage climate risks.

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Cities and extreme weather events: impacts of flooding and extreme heat on water and electricity services in Ghana

Environment and Urbanization ◽

10.1177/0956247820952030 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 095624782095203

Author(s):

Sam M Kayaga ◽

Ebenezer F Amankwaa ◽

Katherine V Gough ◽

Rob L Wilby ◽

Mercy A Abarike ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Service Providers ◽

Extreme Weather ◽

Extreme Heat ◽

Quality Analysis ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Weather Events ◽

Heat Demand ◽

Urban Settlements

Extreme weather events disproportionately affect residents of low-income urban settlements in the global South. This paper explores the impacts of extreme heat and flooding on water and electricity services in Accra and Tamale, Ghana. Interviews with water/electricity providers and water quality analysis are combined with household interviews, focus group discussions and observations conducted in eight low-income urban settlements. The findings highlight the interconnected nature of service provision during extreme weather events, with challenges in one sector reinforcing problems in another, exacerbating difficulties with access. Although households can utilize rainwater during flooding, it is highly susceptible to faecal contamination, and electricity supplies are often disconnected. During extreme heat, demand for water and electricity outstrips supply, leading to severe shortages, especially in Tamale. Water and electricity service providers should consider their interconnected nature and adopt a joined-up approach to cope with extreme weather events, which are predicted to increase with climate change.

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Extreme weather events risk to crop-production and the adaptation of innovative management strategies to mitigate the risk: A retrospective survey of rural Punjab, Pakistan

Technovation ◽

10.1016/j.technovation.2021.102255 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 102255

Author(s):

Ehsan Elahi ◽

Zainab Khalid ◽

Muhammad Zubair Tauni ◽

Hongxia Zhang ◽

Xing Lirong

Keyword(s):

Crop Production ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Extreme Weather ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Retrospective Survey ◽

Weather Events ◽

Innovative Management

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Modelled impacts of extreme heat and drought on maize yield in South Africa

Crop and Pasture Science ◽

10.1071/cp18117 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 69 (7) ◽

pp. 703 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Robert Mangani ◽

Eyob Tesfamariam ◽

Gianni Bellocchi ◽

Abubeker Hassen

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Heat Waves ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Extreme Weather ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Baseline Scenario ◽

Promising Tool ◽

Weather Events ◽

The Impact

This study assessed two versions of the crop model CropSyst (i.e. EMS, existing; MMS, modified) for their ability to simulate maize (Zea mays L.) yield in South Africa. MMS algorithms explicitly account for the impact of extreme weather events (droughts, heat waves, cold shocks, frost) on leaf development and yield formation. The case study of this research was at an experimental station near Johannesburg where both versions of the model were calibrated and validated by using field data collected from 2004 to 2008. The comparison of EMS and MMS showed considerable difference between the two model versions during extreme drought and heat events. MMS improved grain-yield prediction by ~30% compared with EMS, demonstrating a better ability to capture the behaviour of stressed crops under a range of conditions. MMS also showed a greater variability in response when both versions were forced with scenarios of projected climate change, with increased severity of drought and increased temperature conditions at the horizons 2030 and 2050, which could drive decreased maize yield. Yield was even lower with MMS (8 v. 11 t ha–1 for EMS) at the horizon 2050, relative to the baseline scenario (~13 t ha–1 at the horizon 2000). Modelling solutions accounting for the impact of extreme weather events can be seen as a promising tool for supporting agricultural management strategies and policy decisions in South Africa and globally.

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Agricultural disaster management and contingency planning to meet the challenges of extreme weather events

MAUSAM ◽

10.54302/mausam.v67i1.1173 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

pp. 155-168

Author(s):

A. K. SIKKA ◽

B. BAPUJI RAO ◽

V. U. M. RAO

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Production ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Climate Extremes ◽

Extreme Weather ◽

Summer Monsoon Rainfall ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Contingency Planning ◽

Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽

Weather Extremes ◽

Weather Events

Natural disasters of hydro-meteorological nature are playing a key role in the economic development of India. Agricultural production in India is largely dependent on the performance of summer monsoon rainfall. Apart from its spatial and temporal variability, several climatic anomalies / extremes attaining disastrous form at times were found to influence the country's agricultural production. Nature and magnitude of climate extremes that frequent India are presented with their history and region of occurrence. Droughts and floods are found to be paramount. Of late, hailstorms, cold and heat wave conditions are also exerting considerable influence on field and orchard crops. Trends in extreme events, their frequency and effects on crops are discussed. Regions in the country prone to be sensitive to the various weather extremes are presented. Management strategies and contingency planning to be adopted to cope-up the weather extremes are elucidated. Few case studies on the successful strategies adopted at the field level to cope-up extreme weather events under National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) program are reported.

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