Climate change, water and food security

Agriculture constitutes the backbone of most African economies. Climate change is, however, posing the greatest threat to agriculture and food security in the 21st century, particularly in many of the poor, agriculture-based countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with their low capacity to effectively cope. African agriculture is already under stress as a result of population increase, industrialisation and urbanisation, competition over resource use, degradation of resources, and insufficient public spending for rural infrastructure and services. The impact of climate change is likely to exacerbate these stresses even further. This paper reviews current knowledge about the relationships between climate change, water and food security.

The background note explains that water management for agricultural production is a critical component that needs to adapt in the face of both climate and socio-economic pressures in the coming decades. Changes in water use will be driven by the combined effects of:

• changes in water demand for agriculture, as well as from competing sectors including urban development and industrialisation
• changes in water availability
• changes in water management.
  

The paper concludes that short-term plans to address food insecurity, provide access to water resources, and encourage economic growth must be placed in the context of future climate change. It recommends policy attention in the following areas:

• developing long-term water policies and related strategies, taking into account country-specific legal, institutional, economic, social, physical and environmental conditions
• increasing water productivity by promoting efficient irrigation and drainage systems
• improved watershed and resource management, integrating the different natural resources through the promotion of Integrated Water Resources Management processes
• enhancing water availability through better use of groundwater storage, enhancing groundwater recharge where feasible, and increasing surface water storage
• institutional and governance reforms that balance demand and supply across sectors and that mainstream climate change adaptation
• enhancing stakeholder participation in water development and climate change adaptation
• improve information and early warning systems to provide land and water users with timely and adequate information and knowledge about availability and suitability of resources to promote sustainable agriculture and prevent further environmental degradation
• human resource, capacity and skills development of policy makers and end-users to help them deal with new challenges
• increase investments in agriculture and rural development, given the overwhelming environmental, economic and social importance of agriculture in SSA, the anticipated impacts of climate change on agriculture.