Agriculture, Water And Climate Change

Agriculture is what feeds the world and ensures food security. For millennia, people have tilled the land and kept animals to support themselves and provide food. Agriculture is a big economic sector on its own, with returns amounting to billions of shillings and employing millions of people.

Agriculture is dependent on water supply for crop growth of which majority of this is rainfed. Rain-fed agriculture implies reliance on rainfall. Some of the optimal growth conditions for food and cash crops are temperature, moisture and sunlight.

Now climate change basically means that the greenhouse effect and global warming has completely thrown the hydrological cycle out of balance. This water cycle is what controls rainfall, snow, ice and so on. Effects of climate change are all effects of water. This includes droughts, heavy rain and flash floods, heatwaves, permafrost thaw, cyclones and glacier retreat and sea level rise as well. All of these have to do with water – either too much of it or too little, out of place or at the wrong time. The seasonality, quantity, duration and quality of all precipitation has been altered.

Rainfed agriculture is supported by rain, whereby events such as extended droughts and flash floods which are especially unexpected will throw a spanner in the works for farmers and gravely affect the predicted amount of harvests.

For cash crops and exports, depressed harvests mean lowered foreign exchange which will put a dent on incomes and negatively impact a country’s coffers and economy.

Water is the most crucial aspect of agriculture.

 It controls everything.

For countries dependent on rainfed agriculture which is most of the world, food security will be threatened as amounts of foodstuff available go down while prices go up. What results is upheaval of one kind or another, physical insecurity and political discontentment.

Not only so, but irrigated agriculture is also dependent on water supply from existing surface or groundwater. Water bodies such as lakes and rivers, and aquifers; which provide water through boreholes are controlled by rainfall because recharge is through rainwater.

Lack of enough rain means lack of enough water. This will lead to increased competition for users for the resource, and between domestic, industrial and ecosystem use. In terms of small scale or commercial agriculture, demand will get very high and outstrip supply in elevated dry seasons and extended droughts caused by climate change. This translates to more competition, conflict and tensions, and drying up of crops as not enough water is available. Droughts reduce soil moisture content. Not only so, but water sources might dry up completely – including groundwater depletion.

A young African farmer in a lush farm. Picture:Medsile/iwaria

Water is key.

In coastal areas, agriculture is supported by rain and inland water sources such as small lakes or rivers emptying into the ocean. With sea level rise, farms close to the ocean are being flooded and salt water intrusion is taking over groundwater aquifers which previously supplied non-saline fresh water for consumption.

A good number and variety of crops cannot grow in saltwater and require fresh water to thrive. This therefore puts into jeopardy the income of people running small holder farms, and also jeopardizes their food security. It reduces variety in their diet and nutritional content and range, resulting to malnourishment and ill health in children, adults and special groups like pregnant women, already sick (pre-existing conditions) or elderly persons.

A good point to note is that it’s not just sea level rise, but human destruction of mangrove forests and associated coastal wetlands further aggravates the problem.

Desalination of water in coastal areas can supply drinking water but can be very expensive for agricultural use.

The net effect is that coastal regions will depend on other places for food supply given that fisheries which is the other alternative is also affected by warming seas – a result of climate change.

In animal and plant life, different stages in the lifecycle are triggered by weather changes such as heat and moisture. This includes flowering and fruiting.

In agriculture, this speaks to the need for smart water management. It includes recycling and reuse of water while putting a stop to wastefulness.

A way to combat water scarcity in the climate change era is to bring more land under irrigation which reduces reliance on rain.

Furthermore methods that deliver only the right amount of water to roots and reduce wastage to evaporation are good. Such include drip irrigation and storage facilities for harvested rainwater such as dams and pans, underground or surface level tanks and reservoirs.

Addition of animal or compost manure and mulching increase soil carbon level, prevent loss of soil moisture and increase water infiltration and retention. Also, they improve soil structure. Zero tillage stops loss of organic matter and soil carbon. Both increase the ability of soil to hold water. Eventually, soils that are like this become green oases and also help replenish ground water levels.

Another method to respond to climate change is to return to traditional crops. These crops are naturally suited to local climates and are more resistant to the vagaries of extreme weather. They require less water. Such crops are also nutrient dense and better health wise compared to exotic varieties. They have other co-benefits such as less demand for pesticides and fertilizers which harm the soil biota and the environment in general. They promote natural biodiversity, attracting bees, and don’t pollute water sources.

Intercropping crop varieties with different water needs helps preserve soil moisture levels and also prevent soil diseases or depletion of certain nutrients and minerals from the soil. Such increases healthy microorganisms in the soil e.g. helpful bacteria.

Terracing helps prevent loss of soil from erosion especially in slopy areas and steadies water levels in the soil.

Alternating wetting and drying of rice paddies can help conserve water. This reduces pressure on water supply.

Agroforestry has all the benefits of forests related to water but with additional profit of food from fruits, medicine from bark and roots, woodfuel and shade. Tree roots allow infiltration of water, tree shade prevents excess evaporation of soil moisture, organic matter from decaying branches, leaves and roots increase soil carbon, organic matter, increasing its ability to hold water.

Some types of fruit trees such as avocados, mangoes or macadamia can be turned to cash crops and produce sold locally or exported. These types are not labour intensive.

Reducing financial reliance on one type of farming is water & climate smart agriculture. Trying out new crops, rearing livestock in addition to crop farming, mixing fisheries and crop farming is beneficial. Diversification of agriculture, such as using dams for small scale hydropower and irrigation water, or for irrigation with cage farming of fish is a good idea. The right varieties of fast maturing fish can create a new income source and supplement the diet resulting to better health.

Now in fisheries, the lifecycle is also controlled by freshwater changes. Fish need cooler waters to breed and hatch and so migrate in response to the rains. Freshwater is what supplies nutrients into the water for fish to thrive. Aquaculture is therefore influenced by rain which is influenced by climate change.

Reusing treated wastewater for irrigation agriculture or for domestic supply in order to free up water for other use can be effected. The same can be used to recharge aquifers.

It is important to protect water infrastructure from climate vagaries. Most of it e.g. pipes and tanks have a lifespan of up to 50 years. But with increasingly changing climate and varying water needs, they are susceptible to destruction. Higher temperatures for example cause materials to expand failure to which they crack and drainage infrastructure can be overwhelmed by floods or corroded by saltwater.

Financial instruments such as farmer friendly loans and crop insurance can come in handy. Such can be subsidized by governments e.g. the government offering incentives to banks and institutions or paying part of the premiums for farmers. Insurance cushions farmers against harsh weather leading to losses.

Keeping animals especially hardy ones like long horned Zebu or Ankole cattle can help in adapting to climate change. Hardy goat breeds are also useful providing both meat and milk at low cost. They don’t need a lot of water. Since rainfall variability is negatively impacting pasture availability, reducing reliance by turning to compact nutrient dense animal feeds can protect farmers from the financial consequences of climate change on pastoralism. Not only so, but such feeds reduce the carbon footprint of animals by reducing methane production and the animals can be zero grazed, which reduces the need for water as they don’t walk long distances looking for the commodity.

Digging boreholes instead of relying on rivers or lakes for water for herds and powering such boreholes using solar power is a clever mix of climate change responses.

Not only so, but water from such can help sustain community agriculture, saving communities from relying on pastoralism while supplementing their diet with useful plant fibre and nutrients.

Animals can be insured too and farmers get low interest loans.

Speaking of insurance, it must be carefully crafted so that it’s not just about making profits but protecting the welfare of farmers as a strategic interest, which is why governments must be involved.

Reinsurance firms on an international level can be used to cushion local insurance firms.

There are several things to be done at local, national and international levels in protecting agriculture in relation to water and climate change.

First is involving people and creating awareness. Plenty of people still have no idea of how climate change impacts their day to day and long term lives. They may be unable to pinpoint actions, results and solutions. Widespread public participation and education is an indispensable part of climate action, especially for farmers. Water is by far the most important element of climate change, farmers need to understand this intrinsically.

Water management and governance for everyone from water sources to end users is vastly too important to be ignored. So important is this that it should be inculcated from basic to tertiary education. Not only so, community meetings and social gatherings, social and mainstream media should be involved in this endeavor.

Government involvement at all levels, working closely together with communities especially farmers, ranchers and pastoralists, and utilizing traditional and local knowledge while offering scientific expertise on water and agriculture is important.

Speaking of which, practical solutions such as training of agricultural extension officers and manpower on the ground which is well versed on water conservation and climate change would go a long way. Not only so, but research institutes and academic institutions can establish centres on the ground to help farmers with practical advice including on soil fertility and the role of water.

Governments agencies such as Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate (KEPHIS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) and others need to work together in cohesion to ensure the integrity and soundness of water systems. This because all nature is interconnected, and agriculture is reliant on water. KEPHIS for example can advise on suitable crop species, KEFRI on agroforestry and WRMA on water resource protection. 

Protection of wetlands and forests is another crucial point. Literally all water sources have their origin in forests, swamps and other wetlands. It is therefore common sense to stop over-exploiting these water sources but instead encourage reforestation and afforestation with indigenous species to claim new ground.

Involving grasslands and forests in carbon credit schemes can help remove pressure from these green spaces and instead create a new income source for communities, apart from tillage or exploitation. Such helps conserve water sources and soil moisture which is beneficial for agriculture.

Improved weather forecasting combined with early warning systems concerning slow onset events such as droughts and fast ones like heavy rain and typhoons will help in climate adaptation in agriculture. Events like the El Nino and La Nina when predicted early can help farmers put mechanisms in place. Dissemination of such information in a timely and helpful manner even to the farmers at the very grassroots is important.

A water price and water markets can introduce discipline and stop wastefulness. It encourages conservation.

In other areas, enhanced food storage capacities particularly for dry foodstuff and especially in seasons of plenty can help alleviate and cover for unexpected dry seasons.

Supplementary irrigation is when water is given to plants at their most critical stage to compensate for lack of enough rain. It’s in addition to rain.

Digitization of water systems will help curb theft and losses. It can identify leaks. It also helps stop mismanagement and misuse, including collusion and corruption from workers and unscrupulous business people. It stops illegal connections and ensure enough allocation to legitimate users.

Surveillance and regular monitoring is also important. Technology such as drones or just human beings can help locate problems. Intelligence gathering and a welcoming attitude towards the community will help.

Land and water rights is an especially crucial issue. People cannot act when they don’t have ownership of issues. For farmers to act decisively in water conservation including investments in water infrastructure, they need to be sure the land is theirs.

Supply of water especially to the most disadvantaged and ensuring source communities benefit from the resource is very important. If people feel they cannot enjoy water yet it is in their backyard i.e. it is used by others, this will dis-incentivize conservation and create discontentment.

Water accounting, extensive geological mapping and hydrological monitoring will in effect increase understanding of the water ecosystem and offer insight into better management. Data helps.

Reward systems for compliant users of water especially for water smart farms can increase morale.

When designing and building water infrastructure, care should be taken to consult multi-disciplinary experts. Dams and such should serve multipurpose needs e.g. irrigation and hydropower, should be beneficial in the short and long term together and give value for money.

Ensuring gender equity is vital, as water issues in climate change affect women farmers the most because they form the bulk of farmers in developing countries.

This gender needs to be involved in decision making because they are directly affected in different ways from men.

Social equity where different members of society e.g. pastoralists and farmers have enough water, rich and poor herders/farmers and upstream and downstream users have a fair share is important.

In conclusion, water is the most important factor in increasing agricultural yields, and factoring in climate change at all levels of decisions and implementation cannot be understated.

Approaches should therefore be water smart, climate focused and beneficial to nature and people.