DURBAN - Cereals production could fall by 50 percent in parts of southern Africa in the long term due to climate change, causing increased hunger and poverty, a researcher told an agriculture conference on Wednesday. South Africa is the largest carbon emitter on the continent, mainly due to its reliance on coal to produce most of its electricity.
Changes in the region's climate are expected to cause worse flooding in some parts and longer drought in others, reducing crops and raising prices. Other areas may face lower soil fertility, reducing harvests. "Overall, the effects of climate change in southern Africa are expected to be negative," said Constansia Musvoto, a researcher at South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). "Research that has been done shows that cereal production, for example, could fall by as much as 50 percent by 2080 in some areas and other areas in the region may be completely unsuitable for agriculture by then."
She said parts of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique -- the region's main cereal growers -- could be affected.
Southern Africa relies heavily on agriculture for food and many of the region's economies are dependent on farming exports for economic growth. "It (climate change) is very worrying because agriculture is a critical sector for southern Africa economies and any fall in production will obviously have grave consequences," said South African Confederation of Agricultural Unions chief executive Ishmael Sunga.
EDIT
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/52451