Climate change and food production in Africa: what do we know about climate related losses and damages, and adaptation responses?

Abstract

Climate change introduces new uncertainties and complexities to already stressed and precarious agricultural systems in Africa. While extreme climate events, such as droughts and flood, dominate the headlines, gradual shifts in climate conditions, such as rising temperatures and changes in rainfall severely affect crop and livestock production in many African countries. We analyze records from two databases to identify how those shifts affect Africa food production systems and to elucidate how African farmers respond to mitigate those impacts. While we examine interactions between climate fluctuations and food production, we also consider non-climatic drivers and systemic barriers that shape African agriculture, such as the lack of financial, institutional, infrastructural, and technological resource needed to enact national climate adaptation strategies. While compensation for climate-related damages is critical to redress historical disparities, the Loss and Damage Fund currently does not adequately address the specificities of African food production systems. The paper highlights the need for synergistic adaptation and mitigation initiatives, including tailored financial instruments to support farmers' efforts to mitigate loss and damage at local scales. The finding can inform the design of equitable and sustainable policies and actions to anticipate and adapt to fluctuations and uncertainties in African food production.