ASSESSING AND ADDRESSING CLIMATE-INDUCED RISK IN SUB-SAHARAN RAINFED AGRICULTURE: FOREWORD TO A SPECIAL ISSUE OF EXPERIMENTAL AGRICULTURE

Rainfed agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the mainstay of the continent's food and feed production. Nearly 90% of staple food and feed production comes from, and will continue to come from, rainfed agriculture (Rosegrant et al ., 2002). In spite of this, investment in this vital produc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental agriculture 2011-04, Vol.47 (2), p.179-184
Main Authors: COOPER, P. J. M., COE, R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural production
Agriculture
Climate change
Poverty
Rain
Rainfed farming
Risk assessment
Sustainable agriculture
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Summary:Rainfed agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the mainstay of the continent's food and feed production. Nearly 90% of staple food and feed production comes from, and will continue to come from, rainfed agriculture (Rosegrant et al ., 2002). In spite of this, investment in this vital production system, and hence its productivity, has stagnated. There are many complex and interrelated issues that contribute to this state of affairs. The outcomes of lack of investment and low production of rainfed agriculture reinforce each other leading to poverty traps and increased vulnerability of livelihoods to climatic and other shocks (World Bank, 2000). This has become well recognized and an emerging political will, both within and outside SSA, to support increased investment in rainfed agriculture appears to be gaining momentum (Sanchez et al , 2009).
ISSN:0014-4797
1469-4441
DOI:10.1017/S0014479711000019