In a move to combat the worsening challenges posed by climate change on the African continent, the government of Australia is set to invest $76 million over a period of six years to bolster climate-resilient agriculture.
This investment will be specifically directed to advancing research and development in the area of climate-resilient and smart agriculture in Africa.
Ghana is also set to significantly benefit from this initiative spearheaded by the Australian government to boost the local actions taken by the government.
This initiative was announced by the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Berenice Owen-Jones in an interview with The High Street Journal on the sidelines of a symposium on climate change.
Organized by the Australian High Commission in partnership with the Ghana Communication Technology University, the theme for the symposium was “The Future for Africa-Australian Clean Energy and Critical Mineral Partnerships.”
Climate Change: A Threat to Africa’s Agriculture
Africa’s agriculture, which is the mainstay of about 40% of the working population and the backbone of many economies, is predominantly rain-fed. Climate change has become a major threat to the continent’s agriculture as weather conditions continue to drastically change. For instance, the World Meteorological Organization reports that since 1961, Africa has seen a 34% decrease in agricultural productivity emanating from the impact of climate change.
The International Livestock Research Institute also reveals that rising temperatures pose a severe threat to key African staple crops like wheat, maize, sorghum, and millet. With 2°C of warming, crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa could drop by 10%, and beyond this threshold, losses may reach 20%. At 3°C of warming, current maize, millet, and sorghum-growing regions will become unsuitable for cultivation.
This signifies that the rapid climate change is not just an issue of change in climatic patterns but also food security and livelihood concerns.
Australian Government’s Commitment to Resilience
In recognition of the grave impact of climate change on food production, especially in Africa, the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana emphasized Australia’s commitment and dedication to support global partners in their climate actions.
Her Excellency Berenice Owen-Jones highlighted the leading role her nation has taken in the Pacific to address climate change-related challenges through its development programmes.
“We are very focused on supporting partners to take climate change action and we do this mainly through our development programme. We take a leadership role in the Pacific. Pacific islands, Pacific countries are at the front line of what is an existential threat,” the High Commissioner told The High Street Journal.
For Africa, she explained that the $76 million investment will leverage Australia’s expertise in agriculture to drive research and development in climate-change-resistant agricultural practices. This initiative is aimed at safeguarding agriculture and food security on the continent.
“Here in Africa, we’re very aware of the escalating impact of climate change, particularly in the areas of food security and agriculture. For this reason, drawing on Australia’s very deep expertise, the Australian government will be investing over $76 million over a period of six years on research, on agriculture development, climate-resilient agriculture, smart agriculture. We’re going to be doing this in Ghana as well, which I’m very pleased about,” she indicated.
Commenting on the initiative, the keynote speaker for the symposium and also the Climate Change Counsellor for the Australian High Commission in Nairobi, Daniel Featherston, noted the programme will bolster food sustainability through improving productivity.
With agriculture providing livelihood for about 900 million people on the continent, the programme will ensure that their source of living is protected amidst the changing climatic conditions.
“The Australia- Africa Partnership for Climate Resilience will deliver funding for detailed investigation and research into agriculture. Agriculture is one that provides livelihoods for nearly 900 million people. Achieving small productivity improvements, even if they’re just small in that regard, will deliver huge benefits for food sustainability, food security. That is an amazing process. We’ll work closely with development partners to undertake research that actually delivers,” he remarked.
This significant investment in agriculture will play a key role in the next six years to complement Africa’s effort in enhancing food security, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and building a resilient future for communities vulnerable to the impact of climate change.
