International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development
2020, Vol. 3, Issue 2, Part B
Impact of climate change on post-harvest value chain
Anyuor Samantha Akoth
Global warming has led to complex and direct change in the climate with great impacts in sub- Saharan Africa, especially countries which are dependent on smallholder rain-fed agriculture. The study therefore, was conducted through review of published literature to enumerate and categorize different external environmental factors that influences the post-harvest value chain discussed in research from various parts of the globe. The study followed a systematic review to evaluate already published literature from 2006-2018 with the aim of analyzing the effects of the climate parameters in order to design an adaptive strategy and monitor the extent of climate change effects on post-harvest value chain. The results suggested that among the variables of concern that pose threats to post-harvest agriculture include trends in; general increase in temperature, more frequent occurrence of dry spells and drought, high winds, carbon dioxide concentration, ozone effects, heavy precipitation and erratic rainfall. The results also suggested that 15% of SSA annual cereal production is lost due to climate change trends with projected fluctuations in the parameters more losses are expected in future if adaptation strategies are not designed. With the increasing temperature and relative humidity ranges, pre-harvest activities are affected that in turn affect postharvest value chains. Therefore, successful application of postharvest technical solutions is dependent on anticipated climatic changes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) projections, which suggests that by the year 2030, temperatures across SSA will have risen by about 1 °C compared to those of 1980–1999 (Lobell et al., 2008). Consequently, there is need for an integrated and innovative approach to the global effort to ensure sustainable food production and consumption to cater for the rapidly increasing population and curb the issue of food insecurity in Africa.
Anyuor Samantha Akoth. Impact of climate change on post-harvest value chain. Int J Agric Extension Social Dev 2020;3(2):76-80. DOI: 10.33545/26180723.2020.v3.i2b.060