Footsteps 70

AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Photo: David Crooks

Scientists around the world now agree that the climate changes that we are all experiencing globally are real and are the result of human activity. Climate change is a threat to people all around the world. This issue looks at the impact it is already having on agriculture and suggests some practical responses.

Please find below articles from Footsteps issue 70 in html.

To download a pdf version of Footsteps issue 70, please click here (471KB).

Adapting farming practices in Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is an inland country in West Africa. The north of the country experiences a hot dry climate while the south receives more rain. Rainfall is irregular and for 30 years Burkina Faso has had very poor rains with three particularly severe dr... More >>

Adapting to drought in Ethiopia by Tadesse Dadi. Waaqayyo Muudaa used to herd cattle and camels in the vast grazing areas of Fantalle District in the rift valley of Ethiopia. Now he guards the grass and trees growing in the 15 hectares of enclosed land that the community establish... More >>

Alley cropping Compiled by Isabel Carter Alley cropping is a technique that is very useful for improving poor soils, providing fodder for livestock and protecting the soil from heavy rainfall. Alley cropping is a simple way of combining tree-growing with crops.... More >>

Bible study: The two books Many early scientists were Christians and through their science investigated and learned about God’s creation. They talked about God’s revelation in the form of two books, the book of God’s works (his creation) and the book of God’s Word (as found in... More >>

Contour barriers All kinds of barriers can help to slow down run-off water from rain. This will reduce soil erosion and help to store more water in the soil for the benefit of crops. Barriers can be built of whatever materials are locally available. They can be mad... More >>

International action by Isabel Carter Climate change affects the whole earth, but it is the world’s poorest people – who contribute least to global warming – who will suffer the most. Since the early 1980s, scientists have been predicting the serious consequences of cl... More >>

Letters Bird pests Farmers concerned about birds damaging crops (Footsteps 68) should look for local materials that they can use to make scarecrows. Scarecrows look like people dressed in old clothes. Use wood, crop residues, bags and old clothes. Set them... More >>

Living with climate change in Brazil: Three farmers’ views Conserving water Francisco Geraldo Neto lives with his family in Caiçara village, northeast Brazil. The family cultivates half a hectare of land and they earn about US $1,500 each year from selling their products in the local markets. Diaconia (a T... More >>

Resources Seeking justice for all This new PILLARS Guide presents a number of common situations of injustice based on the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It seeks to help people to learn about their human rights and to discuss ways of promoting them ... More >>

Rising sea levels The global rise in temperature is melting ice which is frozen within glaciers and ice caps. Large amounts of fresh water are released. This is causing a gradual rise in sea levels. Low-level coastal regions are therefore at more risk of flooding and ... More >>

Storing rainwater in Rajasthan In the past 15 years, climate extremes such as flooding, drought, cyclones and mud slides have caused about 85% of deaths related to natural disasters and over 60% of the financial damage. Extreme weather events unfortunately are becoming more common... More >>

The impact of climate change on agriculture From the Editor Scientists around the world now agree that the climate changes that we are all experiencing globally are real and are the result of human activity. Climate change is a threat to people all around the world. This issue looks at the i... More >>

The impact of climate change on nomadic people by Jeff Woodke Climate change has begun to affect the nomadic peoples of the Sahel region in Niger. Rainfall in this semi-arid area is becoming increasingly unpredictable, with changes in timing, frequency and the amount of rainfall. Temperatures a... More >>

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