We’re in the middle of a flood season, and as a hub that supports smallholder farmers and food processors, we’re on the front line of climate change’s impact. It’s not just about the heavy rains; it’s a complex web of challenges that affects the entire value chain, from the soil to the shelf.
Let’s break down how climate change affects the communities we serve, specifically with their key crops: potato and cassava.
The Impact on Our Farmers
Climate change messes with two of our farmers’ most crucial resources: temperature and rainfall. For potatoes and cassava, this means a lot of trouble.
The Potato Problem 🥔
Potatoes are a temperate crop, meaning they don’t like it too hot. When temperatures rise, especially above 30°C for long periods, we see a decline in our farmers’ yields. The heat stresses the plants, leading to smaller, malformed tubers. Intense rainfall and flooding can also waterlog fields, causing root rot and making the potatoes more susceptible to diseases like late blight. On the other hand, a lack of rain or drought can also ruin a potato harvest. The tubers shrivel and become deformed, reducing their market value. It’s a lose-lose situation.
The Cassava Challenge 🌾
While cassava is a more hardy crop and can tolerate some drought and high temperatures, it’s not immune. The unpredictable weather patterns of climate change are now a major concern. Flooding can lead to rotting of the tubers in the ground, causing a total loss of the harvest. Warmer and wetter conditions can increase the prevalence of pests like mealy bugs and diseases that attack the plants, reducing the overall yield. Even with its resilience, extreme weather events can significantly reduce our farmers’ cassava yields, sometimes by as much as 60% in prolonged droughts. The increased risk of crop failure directly impacts their income and their ability to provide for their families.
The Impact on Food Processing
Climate change doesn’t stop once the crops are harvested. It follows us into the processing stage, adding more hurdles to our work. For cassava processing, the effects are particularly noticeable. Some studies show that climate change can lead to increased water content in cassava tubers, which affects the processing time and the final product yield. Processors have to use more fuel and labor to process the same amount of product. High heat can also cause the harvested tubers to spoil much faster, sometimes in just a few days. This forces them to process the crops immediately, but if it’s during a rainy period, they can’t properly dry the processed products, leading to spoilage and a lower-quality final product. For both potatoes and cassava, inconsistent raw material quality due to climate-related issues can lead to lower-quality final products, affecting our processors’ businesses and reputation.
How We’re Adapting at AyosifamHub
We’re not just complaining about the problems; we’re actively seeking solutions and helping our community adapt. We are working to source and provide our farmers with varieties of potatoes and cassava that are more tolerant to heat, drought, and floods. We provide guidance on adjusting planting and harvesting schedules based on weather forecasts to avoid the worst of the extreme weather events. We are also exploring other crops that can withstand these changing conditions to ensure our farmers always have something to sell, even if one crop fails. This is why AyosifamHub is so important! We are a community. We share information and support each other. By discussing our experiences and successes, we can all become more resilient.
Climate change is a tough opponent, but with smart farming practices, community support, and a commitment to adapting, we can protect the livelihoods of our farmers and processors and continue to provide food for our communities. Stay safe and stay strong! 💪🏾
