Climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa: a menace to agricultural productivity and ecological protection

Abstract

Due to inadequate adaptation capacity, Sub-Saharan Africa has been depicted as the most vulnerable region with regards to global climate change, this is because of its reliance on agricultural activities for sustenance to livelihood which is highly sensitive to climate variables such as temperature variation, rainfall intensity, humidity patterns, and other extreme weather events. This paper reviews how climate change constitutes a menace to agricultural productivity and ecological protection using a qualitative approach. And importantly suggests ways to overcome such problems. Relevant literature was gathered from secondary data through articles, reports, journals from scientific publications, online websites and Conference Papers. From the review, it is revealed that climate change in Africa has a very significant effect on average temperature, rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events. It was also reviewed that climate has a negative effect on agricultural production and the ecological niche in Sub-Saharan Africa. Evidently, due to past and present climate change; agricultural land, growing season and yield as well as, ecological degradation will cause a decline to sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is the center of this problem. Climate change adversely affects biodiversity protection through aggravated weather conditions, increased temperature, increased land salinity, excessive rainfall, storms, hurricanes and tornadoes which climax in ecosystem ruin. This review has clearly confirmed that Sub-Saharan Africa is indeed the most vulnerable region to climate change. To this end, policies aimed at promoting farm level adaptation strategies and mitigation of climate change with regards to ecological protection are highly recommended.

Keywords: Climate change, Ecological protection, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sustainable development