Addressing climate change in East and Southern Africa

Climate variability and change are expected to compromise agricultural production and food security severely in many African countries. In East and Southern Africa, the effects of climate change will be compounded by the region’s high poverty levels, weak infrastructure, poor natural resources management and dependence on rainfed agriculture.

As a result of climate change, the region could see net reductions of more than 10 per cent in the production of maize and other major crops such as sorghum, millet, sugar cane and wheat.

While commercial livestock activities may marginally improve as the result of increased rainfall, traditional communal livestock activities may be disadvantaged because of increased erosion and the incursion of woody weeds in some areas.