Climate Change and Small Farmers’ Vulnerability to Food Insecurity in Cameroon

Abstract

There is interconnectedness between small farmers’ productivity, climate change, and the state of food security in Africa south of the Sahara. The neglect of small farmers amidst climate change challenges in the Global South suggests the existence of a vicious circle of low productivity and deprivation that exacerbates the vulnerability of small-scale farmers, who largely depend on rain-fed agriculture to feed their families and nations. The limited adaptive capacity of these farmers in the face of growing instability in rainfall and temperatures is affecting the output, profitability, and survival of these small-scale farmers, whose production is principally for the local market and therefore critical for community food security. The underdeveloped local agricultural sector and limited investment in climate-smart agriculture also affect small farmers’ productivity and ability to meet the food demands of increasing populations. This paper examines the challenges of small-scale farmers in a resource-rich economy, their vulnerability to climate change, and the effects on food insecurity. It is based on an in-depth qualitative case study of 30 residents from the Tiko and Santa areas in the South West and North West regions of Cameroon, respectively. The paper argues that small farmers’ vulnerability to climate-induced agricultural losses increases the risks of food insecurity for the growing Cameroonian population.

Overview of Poultry Management as a Key Factor for Solving Food and Nutritional Security with a Special Focus on Chicken Breeding in East African Countries

“…Food security and supply are a significant concern facing the world today, with the most recent estimates revealing that 795 million people, nearly one out of ten people in the world, are affected by chronic undernutrition, with most severe cases of hunger, malnutrition, and health-related undernutrition in Africa [ 1 ]. According to the World Bank, the proportion of the people in Africa who live in extreme poverty and undernourishment has decreased considerably from about 57% in 1990 to about 41% in 2013 [ 2 , 3 ].…”

“…According to the World Bank, the proportion of the people in Africa who live in extreme poverty and undernourishment has decreased considerably from about 57% in 1990 to about 41% in 2013 [ 2 , 3 ]. Nevertheless, until recently, the largest share of the global population of extremely poor and undernourished people, of more than all other regions combined, still live in Africa [ 1 , 2 ]. Considering the predicted increase in the human population in Africa, which is expected to double its current figure of 1.2 to more than 2 billion by 2050, food insecurity concerns may be worsened in the near future [ 2 ].…”

“…Furthermore, due to the health and socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, the nutritional status of the most vulnerable population groups is likely to deteriorate in the near future. Generally, the disturbing food insecurity concerns in Africa are partly caused by climate change effects, which in turn are influenced by the limited adaptive capacity of the agricultural system, which highly depends on rain-fed agriculture and poor policies [ 1 , 5 ]. Correspondingly, the deteriorating climate circumstances, such as droughts and floods, exacerbate the vulnerability of the agricultural system in the region [ 1 ].…”

“…Generally, the disturbing food insecurity concerns in Africa are partly caused by climate change effects, which in turn are influenced by the limited adaptive capacity of the agricultural system, which highly depends on rain-fed agriculture and poor policies [ 1 , 5 ]. Correspondingly, the deteriorating climate circumstances, such as droughts and floods, exacerbate the vulnerability of the agricultural system in the region [ 1 ]. The East African region is also among the regions most vulnerable to food insecurity issues in SSA, with some of the highest rates of undernutrition globally [ 6 , 7 ].…”

“…East Africa’s economies are heavily dependent on small-scale agriculture, with at least two-thirds of all food production in the region coming from smallholder farms of less than 2 hectares and with minimal livestock holdings [ 6 , 8 ]. Thus, the agricultural sector, which employs a high proportion of the population and over 90% of some rural populations, while contributing about 25-30% of the national income in most low-income countries, is left in the hands of poorly equipped smallholders [ 1 ]. Other roadblocks in attaining food security in the region include low technological capability, insignificant economic growth, increasing populations, unstable social and political environments, macroeconomic imbalances in trade, natural resource constraints, natural disasters, high weather variability and climate shocks, poor food distribution network within the member countries, and inadequate food trade between the member countries [ 5 , 9 ].…”