The impact of climate change on food security

AS CLIMATE change continues to wreak havoc on South Africa’s agricultural landscape, the future of food security hangs in the balance.

- STAFF REPORTER

With predictions indicating a potential 50% decline in agricultural production by 2050, the spectre of hunger looms ever larger for the 18 million households, - roughly 21% of the population — who are grappling with food insecurity.

Recent studies forecast a 25% increase in maize yield variability due to shifting weather patterns, including reduced rainfall and soaring temperatures. As the staple food source for many low-income households, maize is feeling the pinch, with prices climbing by 30% in recent years, exacerbated by the impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity.

According to Roscoe van Wyk, a research fellow at Stellenbosch Business School, the agricultural sector must be restructured to address these challenges. He says that integrating enterprise development with climate adaptation strategies is crucial to ensure more people have access to adequate, affordable, and nutritious food.