Mpumalanga National African Farmers Union president Jabu Mahlangu has applauded the provincial department of agriculture for leading the implementation of a climate-smart farming initiative across the province.
Mahlangu said they are ready to work with the department to deal with the climate change impact as it threatens the sustainability of the agricultural sector and the economy of the province, especially for new-era farmers.
Recently, Mpumalanga MEC Mpumi Hlophe convened the Climate-Smart Summit where she called on everyone to work together to find solutions. She said her department will bring experts to help farmers.
Proactive mitigation measures needed
Mahlangu welcomed the direction the department is taking by including those directly impacted by climate change and expertise to help deal with the elephant in the room.
“The summit participants presented smart measures including the use of information, communication and technology and digital measures required to mitigate unpredictable climate changes experienced in Mpumalanga, neighbouring provinces, Africa and the globe, to ensure food security despite the harsh weather conditions,” he said.
Mahlangu said invaluable lessons learned is that farmers must proactively anticipate the dangers posed by unpredictable global warming, harsh droughts, and damaging winds accompanied by storms, hail, and fires, either caused by mother nature or the recklessness of humans.
He called for organised agriculture, and small, medium and commercial farmers to embrace climate-smart farming measures. Mahlangu also urged government departments, entities in all spheres, and municipalities to proactively consider measures to mitigate disasters caused by unpredictable weather conditions.
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“As if mother nature had their ears on the walls of the summit, an extreme weather condition ‘tornado’ accompanied by damaging wind, lighting and hailstorm hit [the] Mkhondo area the following week where huge numbers of public property inclusive of schools, clinics, municipal buildings and private houses were destroyed,” he said.
Hlophe said the effects of climate change are especially detrimental to agriculture.
“To meet the increasing demands of food, countries and global role players will be required to develop new strategies and climate-smart actions to increase agricultural production by enhancing resilience of agricultural and food production systems to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty.
“Agriculture is the most significant user of water (via irrigation), making it subject to changes in water availability, increased water pollution and soil erosion from more severe rainfall events and higher evapotranspiration,” she said.
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