- Munya said policymakers must institute measures to prevent the worst consequences of climate change.
- His sentiments were echoed by Mthuli Ncube, who is Zimbabwe's Minister of Finance and Economic Development.
Image: FILE
Agriculture CS Peter Munya has said climate change, and not farming implements such as fertiliser, is the biggest challenge that farmers face going forward.
He said policymakers must institute measures to prevent the worst consequences of climate change.
His speech was read by Agriculture CAS Lawrence Omuhaka during the 24th Annual African Economic Research Consortium's Senior Policy Seminar in Nairobi on Friday.
"It is important to keep in mind that nearly all the impacts of climate change are exacerbated by inappropriate policy choices," Munya said.
A recent UN report recently predicted a two to six per cent decline in global crop yields every decade going forward due to climate change, potentially making millions of acres unprofitable for farming.
"Our very survival is linked to climate change as our food security rests on agricultural systems that still rely largely on low inputs, traditional tools, and the promise of rain—and are subject to the vagaries of drought and flooding," Munya said.
His sentiments were echoed by Mthuli Ncube, who is Zimbabwe's Minister of Finance and Economic Development.
"Climate change has a growing impact on the continent, hitting the most vulnerable hardest, and contributing to food insecurity, low crop yields and production, droughts and erratic weather patterns. There's a need for the continent to commit to enhancing climate action and building resilience," Ncube said.
Themed "Climate Change and Economic Development in Africa", the forum cast the spotlight on policy proposals that can be adopted to shape Africa's response to climate change.
"Climate change has adverse implications for Africa's development, from health systems to agriculture, ecosystems, water resources, energy resources and physical infrastructure and threatens the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," AERC executive director Prof Njuguna Ndung'u said.
He added, "Thus, there is a need for African governments to scale up the availability, access, and affordability of digital agricultural technologies, which are the key drivers of climate-smart agriculture interventions. And for Africa to become a major player, it needs to urgently address the issues of lack of capacity and poor institutions."
This year's seminar will assist policymakers and other actors in better understanding the impact of climate change on economic development, particularly focusing on policies that will build and strengthen the resilience of sub-Saharan African economies to ensure sustainability of growth and development.
Africa faces exponential collateral damage, posing systemic threats to its economies, infrastructure investments, water and food systems, public health, agriculture, and livelihoods, threatening to reverse its modest development gains and slip into deeper levels of extreme poverty.
"Climate risk can be turned into an opportunity by leveraging climate-smart agriculture innovations. Africa needs to urgently address the issues of lack of capacity and poor institutions," said Prof Asafu-Adjaye of the African Center for Economic Transformation & School of Economics at the University of Queensland, Australia.
Dr Adelaide Retselisitsoe Matlanyane, former Governor, Central Bank of Lesotho said, "Despite having contributed the least to global warming and having the lowest emissions, Africa will bear the brunt of climate change."