Seeking climate-smart strategies for root, tuber and banana crops in central Africa

Published 2021년 9월 22일

Tridge summary

A study conducted by a team of international researchers has found that Root, Tuber and Banana (RT&B) crops, including banana, cassava, potato, and sweet potato, in the Great Lakes Region (GLR) of Central-East Africa are expected to benefit from warmer and wetter conditions due to climate change. The research, published in Agricultural Systems, indicates that cassava, banana, and sweet potato are likely to be the most adaptable to these changes, while potato cultivation is expected to face significant challenges. The authors suggest the need for adopting adaptation strategies such as shifting planting dates and introducing climate-smart and consumer-preferred RT&B varieties to mitigate the impacts of climate change on agriculture in the region.

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Original content

Root, tuber and banana (RT&B) crops are widely cultivated across the landscapes of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). These staple food crops play a fundamental role in smallholder farming systems due to their good economic value and high importance within the daily diets of most households. The extensive planting of RT&B crops highlights their adaptive nature, but a team of researchers has identified a need to obtain more specific knowledge on how RT&B crops might respond to long-term changes in climate. Will this resiliency change? Will growing patterns be drastically altered? Given the importance of RT&B crops, significant shifts in the crop performance as a result of climate-induced changes in suitability would have serious implications for food security across SSA. ...

Source: Phys