HARARE, Zimbabwe — From ancient fertilization methods in Zimbabwe to new greenhouse technologies in Somalia, farmers across the largely agriculture-dependent African continent are looking to the past and future to respond to climate change.
Africa, with the world’s youngest population, faces the worst effects of global warming while contributing the least to the problem. Farmers are struggling to make sure the growing population is fed.
With more than 60% of the world’s uncultivated land, Africa should be able to feed itself, some experts say. And yet, three in four people across the continent cannot afford a healthy diet, according to a report last year by the African Union and United Nations agencies. The reasons include conflicts and lack of investment.
In Zimbabwe, where the El Niño phenomenon has worsened the drought, small farmer James Tshuma has lost hope of harvesting anything from his fields. It’s a familiar story in much of the country, where the government has declared a $2 billion state of emergency and millions of people face hunger.
But a green vegetable garden is thriving in a small garden that Tshuma, 65, keeps alive with compost and homemade organic fertilizer. Items that were previously thrown away have become invaluable again.
“This is how our fathers and ancestors fed the land and themselves before the introduction of chemicals and inorganic fertilizers,” Tshuma said.
Apply livestock excrement, grass, plant residues, small animal remains, tree leaves and bark, food scraps and other biodegradable elements such as paper. Even the bones of animals that are increasingly dying from drought are burned before being ground into ashes for calcium.
Climate change is exacerbating much of the long-standing problem of poor soil fertility in sub-Saharan Africa, said Wonder Ngezimana, associate professor of agricultural sciences at Zimbabwe’s Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
“The combination is forcing people to rethink how things were done in the past, such as nutrient recycling, but also to combine them with modern methods,” said Ngezimana, whose institution is researching the combination of traditional practices with new technologies.
In addition to being rich in nitrogen, organic fertilizers help increase soil carbon and its ability to retain moisture, Ngezimana said. “Even if a farmer puts synthetic fertilizer in the soil, he is likely to suffer the consequences of a lack of moisture while there is a drought,” she said.
Other steps are being taken towards traditional practices. Drought-resistant millet, sorghum and legumes, staples until the early 20th century, when they were overtaken by exotic white corn, have been taking up more land space in recent years.
The leaves of drought-resistant plants that were once a common dish before being discarded as weeds are returning to tables. They even appear on the shelves of elite supermarkets and are served in classy restaurants, just like millet and sorghum.
This could create markets for the crops even after years of drought, Ngezimana said.
In conflict-prone East Africa’s Somalia, greenhouses are changing the way of life for some people: shoppers fill carts with locally produced vegetables and traditionally nomadic pastoralists are pressured to settle down and farm.
“They are organic, fresh and healthy,” said shopper Sucdi Hassan in the capital, Mogadishu. “Knowing they come from our local farms makes us feel safe.”
Its new shopping experience is a sign of relative calm after three decades of conflict and the climate impacts of drought and floods.
Urban customers are now assured of year-round supply, with more than 250 greenhouses spread across Mogadishu and its outskirts producing fruit and vegetables. It’s a big jump.
“In the past, even basic vegetables such as cucumbers and tomatoes were imported, causing logistical problems and added expenses,” said Somalia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Barre.
Greenhouses also create jobs in a country where around 75% of the population are people under 30 years old, many of them unemployed.
About 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the capital, Mohamed Mahdi, an agriculture graduate, inspected produce at a greenhouse where he works.
“Given the high unemployment rate, we welcome the opportunity to work in our chosen field of expertise,” said the 25-year-old.
Meanwhile, some herders are forced to change their traditional customs after watching thousands of cattle die.
“The transition to greenhouse agriculture offers pastoralists a more resilient and sustainable livelihood option,” said Mohamed Okash, director of the Climate and Environment Institute at SIMAD University in Mogadishu.
He called for greater investments in smart agriculture to combat food insecurity.
In Kenya, a new climate-smart bean variety is bringing hope to farmers in a region that had seen reduced rainfall in six consecutive rainy seasons.
The variety, called “Nyota” or “star” in Swahili, is the result of a collaboration between scientists from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, the Bioversity International Alliance and the research organization International Center for Tropical Agriculture.
The new bean variety is adapted to the diverse climatic conditions of Kenya. One goal is to make sure drought doesn’t wipe them out before they have time to bloom.
The bean variety flowers and matures so quickly that it is ready for harvest when the rains disappear, said David Karanja, bean breeder and national cereals and pulses coordinator at KALRO.
It is expected that these varieties can boost national bean production. The annual production of 600,000 tonnes is not enough to meet the annual demand of 755,000 tonnes, Karanja said.
Farmer Benson Gitonga said his yield and profits are increasing thanks to the new bean variety. He harvests nine to 12 bags per acre of land, up from five to seven bags previously.
An added benefit of this variety is a breath of fresh air.
“Customers especially appreciate its qualities as it has low levels of flatulence, making it an attractive option,” Gitonga said.
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Tiro reported from Nairobi, Kenya and Farouk reported from Mogadishu, Somalia.
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