Building Resilience to Climate Risks

Building resilience to climate risk ensures a higher resistance to extreme events and can assist in preparation for future climate change. Grain farmers are vulnerable to climatic risks such as drought and other extreme events. With low adaptive capacity throughout the value chain the South African agricultural sector is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate and the anticipated increase in climate variability. Maize and wheat are the two main grain crops important for export and production serves half of the local demand respectively. It is thus critical to determine the impact of climate risk on the value chains of these grains.

This project aims to assist grain (maize and wheat) producers to manage imminent climate risks (such as anticipated droughts) by identifying risks and proposing ways in which management practices can be adapted to minimize the expected impacts. The study will focus on major maize and wheat production areas in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and North West, specifically where they are vulnerable to adverse climatic conditions.

Time frames:  March 2019 – February 2020

Funder: Grain SA

For further details: contact Dr Peter Johnston