About this Research Topic
Agriculture forms a major component of many growing economies especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, it is highly vulnerable to climate change and thereby posing a challenge in feeding the ever-increasing projected 8.6 billion human population by 2030. In recent times, several agriculture and soil management practices such as agricultural residue burning, application of mineral fertilizers and crop residues to the soil, the use of nitrogen-fixing crops in soil management, production of paddy rice, tillage practices, land use change, and other anthropogenic factors have contributed to greenhouse gas emissions, a major contributing factor to climate change. These have seriously affected the crop yields obtained from farmlands.
One major impact of climate change on agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been suboptimal crop yields obtained from croplands resulting in hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity. Climate change is thus, a threat to sustainable crop production and food security. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made predictions of rising temperatures from 1 to 2.5 ℃, severe water shortages or flooding, which will result in shifts in crop growing seasons, increase food shortages and adversely affect economies by 2030. There is therefore the need to explore appropriate strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on sustainable crop production and improve livelihood.
As envisioned by the United Nation’s Agenda 2030 to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people and the world by 2030, strategies adapted to mitigating climate change effects on sustainable crop production is thus necessary for achieving the sustainable development goals (SDG) 1 and 2 with the outcome target of ending hunger and improving access to food; achieving food security and improved nutrition; promoting sustainable agriculture and resilient agricultural practices in SSA. The need to build resilience towards a climate-smart agriculture has resulted in paradigm shifts in several aspects of farming in SSA such as a shift from individual crop nutrient requirements to optimum use of nutrient sources, and also a shift from the first year’s nutrient application effects to a long-term residual effect among several others.
The research topic will seek for innovative scientific approaches and recent advancements aimed at adapting and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on sustainable crop production in sub-Saharan Africa. Research focused on but not limited to key mitigation technologies and practices such as improved crop and soil management to increase soil carbon storage, restoration of degraded lands, improved rice cultivation techniques, manure management, improved nitrogen fertilizer application techniques, cover cropping, mulching, conservation tillage, agroforestry, irrigation, changing cropping sequences, irrigation, etc will be considered. This research topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, meta-analysis, etc. Topics submitted to this collection should cover a wide area including soil science, agronomy, climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture, organic agriculture, integrated soil fertility management, and food and nutritional security, soil resilience, soil management, carbon stocks and agricultural practices in SSA. The research described in these manuscripts can be experimental (in laboratory or field settings).
One major impact of climate change on agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been suboptimal crop yields obtained from croplands resulting in hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity. Climate change is thus, a threat to sustainable crop production and food security. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made predictions of rising temperatures from 1 to 2.5 ℃, severe water shortages or flooding, which will result in shifts in crop growing seasons, increase food shortages and adversely affect economies by 2030. There is therefore the need to explore appropriate strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on sustainable crop production and improve livelihood.
As envisioned by the United Nation’s Agenda 2030 to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people and the world by 2030, strategies adapted to mitigating climate change effects on sustainable crop production is thus necessary for achieving the sustainable development goals (SDG) 1 and 2 with the outcome target of ending hunger and improving access to food; achieving food security and improved nutrition; promoting sustainable agriculture and resilient agricultural practices in SSA. The need to build resilience towards a climate-smart agriculture has resulted in paradigm shifts in several aspects of farming in SSA such as a shift from individual crop nutrient requirements to optimum use of nutrient sources, and also a shift from the first year’s nutrient application effects to a long-term residual effect among several others.
The research topic will seek for innovative scientific approaches and recent advancements aimed at adapting and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on sustainable crop production in sub-Saharan Africa. Research focused on but not limited to key mitigation technologies and practices such as improved crop and soil management to increase soil carbon storage, restoration of degraded lands, improved rice cultivation techniques, manure management, improved nitrogen fertilizer application techniques, cover cropping, mulching, conservation tillage, agroforestry, irrigation, changing cropping sequences, irrigation, etc will be considered. This research topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, meta-analysis, etc. Topics submitted to this collection should cover a wide area including soil science, agronomy, climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture, organic agriculture, integrated soil fertility management, and food and nutritional security, soil resilience, soil management, carbon stocks and agricultural practices in SSA. The research described in these manuscripts can be experimental (in laboratory or field settings).
Keywords: food production, climate change, mitigation strategies, food security, integrated soil fertility management
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