Pro Poor Research, Science and Technology for Agricultural Development in the Context of Climate Change and Variability In Southern Africa

Authors

  • Never Assan Zimbabwe Open University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Livestock Production, Bulawayo Region, Box 3550, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Keywords:

Pro poor, Climate change, Agriculture development, Southern Africa

Abstract

Due to climatic change and variability, achieving sustainability in agricultural development with emphasis on satisfying basic human needs and improving people’s standard of living through enhancing food security and reducing poverty has been a challenge in Southern Africa.  This discussion is a synthesis of counter productive developmental disparities in agricultural production in poor communities, focusing on issues of research, science and technology, and how these may influence agricultural development in the context of climate change. This gives possible insight on research, science and technological innovations that can be explored as  strategies for agricultural development tailored made for poor communities, focusing particularly on Southern Africa. Climate change and variability is an area in which considerable uncertainty remains, especially in developing countries with implications suggesting that the future holds many types of disruption in poor communities, but no clear trends have yet been identified, whereas observations of the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity in the world's poorest people are often alarmist. Research, science and technology  plays a key role in economic growth, social development, cultural enrichment and democratic empowerment.  It is assumed that through the ‘gender lens’ an understanding of  engendered research, science and technology through examination of specific gender roles, activities, responsibilities, opportunities and constraints in agricultural  production which compromise the achievement of greater equality between women and men within their spheres of interaction in agricultural  production will address the fundamental issue of climate change and agricultural productivity. Gender is a socio-economic variable which can be used to analyze vulnerability and adaptive capacity of people against climate change and variability in local communities in Southern Africa. Dealing with the inevitable impact of climate change is now high on the agricultural development agenda in most developing countries. Therefore, engaging in appropriate research, climate change science and agricultural technologies targeted at poor rural people through planning adaptation and mitigation efforts can reduce the risks of climate change while accelerating progress towards food security and reducing poverty. In this discussion, it is noted that apart from appropriate research, climate change sciences and technology as some of the strategic steps that can be adopted for future viable agricultural production in the context of climate change, it may also include and not limited to the following: promotion of gender equality and equity in agricultural production in terms of resource allocation, training and gender sensitive policies. This gives room for  innovative prospects for the agricultural systems of the future, supplemented by a critical look at all the major mitigation and adaptation attempts  under way and what this means for research, science and technology for agricultural development. Developing countries should come up with their own resources to develop the capacity to adapt to environmental change in order to improve agricultural productivity. There is need for constant review of adaptation strategies through research, climate change science and agricultural technologies because the speed and intensity of climate change is outpacing the speed of autonomous adaptations and is threatening to overwhelm the ability of poor rural people to cope. On the other hand developing countries can use climate change policies to leverage human capacity, investment, and climate change and agricultural technology to capture large-scale pro poor mitigation opportunities, while simultaneously augmenting their agricultural development goals. It is vital that we come up with appropriate research, understand climate change science and agricultural technology that underlie the global climate talks, in order to work with poor communities to find concrete alternatives in response to the issues surrounding the climatewhile heeding the demands of sustainable agricultural development.

References

Bioversity, 2009. Coping with climate change: the use of agrobiodiversity by indigenous and rural communities. Bioversity International: Rome.

Briggs, J. 2005. The use of indigenous knowledge in development: problems and challenges. Progr. Dev. Stud. 5, 99-114.

Birner, R. (1999), The role of livestock in Agricultural Development – theoretical approaches and their application in the case of Sri Lanka. Ashgate, Aldershot.

EU, 2009. White paper - Adapting to climate change: towards a European framework for action {SEC(2009) 386} {SEC(2009) 387} {SEC(2009) 388}.

FAO. 2002. Rural Women: Crucial Partners in the Fight against Hunger and Poverty. Side Event Rep., FAO, Rome.

FAO., 2007. The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. FAO, Rome.

Green, D., Raygorodetsky, G. 2010. Indigenous knowledge of a changing climate. Climatic Change. 100: 239–242.

GSDRC, 2007. Climate Change and Social Exclusion’, Helpdesk Research Report, GSDRC, Birmingham.

Hachigonta, S., Nelson, G.C., Thomas, T.S., Sibanda, L.M. 2013. Southern Africa agriculture and climate change. A Comprehensive Analysis. FPRI issue brief 77, August 2013.

Lybbert, T., Sumner D. 2010. Agricultural Technologies for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Developing Countries: Policy Options for Innovation and Technology Diffusion, ICTSD–IPC Platform on Climate Change, Agriculture and Trade, Issue Brief No.6, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, Geneva, Switzerland and International Food & Agricultural Trade Policy Council, Washington DC, USA.

Meridian Institute. 2011. Agriculture and Climate Change Policy Brief: Main Issues for the UNFCCC and Beyond. Edited by Donna Lee; Adapted from “Agriculture and Climate Change: A Scoping Report” by Bruce Campbell, Wendy Mann, Ricardo Meléndez-Ortiz, Charlotte Streck, Timm Tennigkeit, and Sonja Vermeulen.

Muhammad, Z.Y.H., Tahir, M.B., Muhammad, F.K., Khalid, M., Mahr-un-Nisa, Abd, U.R., Naveed, I., Nasir, M., Munawar, H., 2012. Impact of poultry extension services for the rural women.Afr. J. Agr. Res., 7(12), 1893- 1900.

Ndangwa, N., 2007. Indigenous Education Systems and their relevance for Sustainable Development: A Case of Southern Africa’ In Tribe and Tribals. Spec. Volume Number., 1, 167-172.

Ndengwa, W., Rao, K.P.C., Ngugi, R.K., Kwena, K. 2010. Improving farmer adaptive capacity by integrating local and indigenous knowledge in climate forecasting and adaptive response. Addressing Climate Change Adaptation in Africa through Participatory Action Research. Adaptive Insights. Kenya. November, 2010.

Parry M, Canziani O, Palutikof J, van der Linden P, Hanson C. 2007. (eds) Cross-chapter case study. In: Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of working group II to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp 843–868.

PLAAS, PSPPD, EU, SAT, HSRC, EDD 2012. The politics of poverty research and pro-poor policy making: Learning from the practice of policy dialogue, Report on a n International Symposium held at the University of the Western Cape on 19-20 November 2012. PLAAS, UWC: Bellville.

Rachel, S., Leo Peskett, L., Ludi, E., Brown, D. 2007. Climate change agricultural policy and poverty reduction- how much do we know? Natural Resources Perspective 109, Overseas Development Institute, September 2007.

Raygorodetsky, G. 2011. Why traditional knowledge holds the key to climate change. United Nations Universityu.

Bali Action Plan Decision -/CP.13 (2007)

Prowse, M., Peskett, L. 2008. Mitigating climate change: what impact on the poor? Overseases Development Institute, April, 2008. pp 97-98.

Salick, J. 2009. Traditional peoples and climate change. Glob Environ Change 19:37–139.

Hayes, B. J., Lewin, H. A., Goddard, M. E. 2012. The future of livestock breeding: genomic selection for efficiency, reduced emissions intensity, and adaptation. Trends Genet. 29, 206–214.

Tanner, T. and Mitchell, T., 2008. ‘Building the Case for Pro-poor Adaptation’ in Poverty in a Changing Climate, IDS Bulletin, 39:4, IDS, Brighton.

Warren, D., M. 1991. Using indigenous knowledge in agricultural development. The World Bank Discussion Paper. The World Bank. Washington DC, USA.

FAO. 2012. Phenotypic Characterization of Animal Genetic Resources. FAO Animal Production and Health Guidelines No. 11. Rome.

TAR. 2001. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change. Third Assessment Report 2001.

Okali, D.U.U., Ewah, O. 2004. Climate change and Nigeria: A guide for policy makers. A joint project of NEST Nigeria and GCSI, Canada under the Auspices of Canada –Nigeria Climate change capacity Development project, Canadian international Development Agency and Federal Ministry of Environment Abuja, Nigeria, 20pp.

Drucker, A. G. 2010. Where's the beef? The economics of AnGR conservation and its influence on policy design and implementation. Anim. Genetic Resour. 47, 85–90.

Published

2015-07-27

How to Cite

Assan, N. . (2015). Pro Poor Research, Science and Technology for Agricultural Development in the Context of Climate Change and Variability In Southern Africa. Scientific Journal of Review, 4(7), 95-103. Retrieved from http://sjournals.com/index.php/sjr/article/view/436

Issue

Section

Environmental Sciences