Agriculture is one of the sectors most seriously affected by climate change. It is highly sensitive to any changes that may result from global warming because it deals with water, carbon dioxide, sunlight and methane. As the agricultural sector is increasingly threatened by global warming with ever more serious droughts and floods so does the ability of farmers to produce food become undermined. Many of the African stands in the COP17 exhibition hall feature agricultural themes as their prime means of trading, and consequently, their very survival.
The stands show visitors how seriously climate change will affect their countries but they also make an effort to highlight efforts at coping with deteriorating circumstances. Africans are making a concerted effort mitigate the effects of climate change. The Southern Africa Confederation of Agricultural Unions, SACAU, is showcasing products aimed at helping farmers understand how climate change works, and what are the possible consequences for food production. SACAU hopes to provide farmers with the relevant knowledge to enable them to plant crops that can adapt more easily to climate change. It also teaches farmers other techniques to mitigate global warming by using fewer inorganic fertilisers but without reducing their harvests.
Many of the African stands in the COP17 exhibition hall feature agricultural themes as their prime means of trading, and consequently, their very survival.
According to SACAU policy development officer, Stephanie Aubin, the organisation aims to push three objectives at COP17. They are:
• a work program fund for a farmers’ plan of action similar to the plan for afforestation
•a plan to facilitate financing for farmers as farming is not considered in the Clean Development Mechanism
•and the Green Climate Fund which was set up at COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico for specific funding to be allocated for agriculture.
Meanwhile CEO, Ishmael Sunga, said “SACAU is concerned about the absence of agriculture in the current agreed text of the UNFCCC. “We are calling for a secured text on agriculture in the UNFCCC negotiations in the common vision for Long-Term Cooperative Action (LCA).”
SACAU is sustainable Farming Sector that ensures food security and contributes to economic growth in Southern Africa. It is the main voice of farmers on continental and global matters.
Their strategic pillars include Advocacy on regional, continental and global matters affecting agriculture, capacity strengthening of farmers’ organizations and provision of agriculture-related information to members and stakeholders. They have sister organisations which play similar activities in West, Central, East and Northern Africa.
Agriculture is one of the sectors most seriously affected by climate change. It is highly sensitive to any changes that may result from global warming because it deals with water, carbon dioxide, sunlight and methane.
As the agricultural sector is increasingly threatened by global warming with ever more serious droughts and floods so does the ability of farmers to produce food become undermined. Many of the African stands in the COP17 exhibition hall feature agricultural themes as their prime means of trading, and consequently, their very survival.
The stands show visitors how seriously climate change will affect their countries but they also make an effort to highlight efforts at coping with deteriorating circumstances. Africans are making a concerted effort mitigate the effects of climate change.
The Southern Africa Confederation of Agricultural Unions, SACAU, is showcasing products aimed at helping farmers understand how climate change works, and what are the possible consequences for food production.
SACAU hopes to provide farmers with the relevant knowledge to enable them to plant crops that can adapt more easily to climate change. It also teaches farmers other techniques to mitigate global warming by using fewer inorganic fertilisers but without reducing their harvests.
According to SACAU policy development officer, Stephanie Aubin, the organisation aims to push three objectives at COP17. They are:
• a work program fund for a farmers’ plan of action similar to the plan for afforestation
•a plan to facilitate financing for farmers as farming is not considered in the Clean Development Mechanism
•and the Green Climate Fund which was set up at COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico for specific funding to be allocated for agriculture.
Meanwhile CEO, Ishmael Sunga, said “SACAU is concerned about the absence of agriculture in the current agreed text of the UNFCCC. “We are calling for a secured text on agriculture in the UNFCCC negotiations in the common vision for Long-Term Cooperative Action (LCA)”.
SACAU is sustainable Farming Sector that ensures food security and contributes to economic growth in Southern Africa. It is the main voice of farmers on continental and global matters.
Their strategic pillars include Advocacy on regional, continental and global matters affecting agriculture, capacity strengthening of farmers’ organizations and provision of agriculture-related information to members and stakeholders. They have sister organisations which play similar activities in West, Central, East and Northern Africa.
– By Effa Tambenkongho, Reporting DNA
