CLIMATE CHANGE AND AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES: EVOLVING INDIGENEOUS SOLUTIONS

Abstract

This study examined the evolving indigenous solutions in climate change and African agricultural economic development challenges. The comparative advantage theory was adopted as a theoretical framework. This study adopted a library research design to explore the challenges posed by climate change on African agricultural economics and the potential of indigenous solutions in addressing these challenges. The population of the study consisted of published academic literature, policy documents, and reports on climate change, indigenous knowledge systems, and African agricultural economics. The sample size included 50 sources, selected purposively to ensure diversity and relevance. These sources are drawn from reputable databases such as Scopus, Springer, and Google Scholar, as well as policy reports from organisations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and African Union (AU). The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. Data collection involves extracting information from the selected sources using thematic coding to identify key themes such as climate change impacts, indigenous solutions, and policy integration. The analysis employed qualitative content analysis to interpret and synthesize the findings from the literature. The findings revealed that that climate change significantly impacts African agricultural economic development by reducing crop yields, disrupting livestock productivity, and exacerbating land degradation. These effects threaten food security and economic stability, particularly in regions heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture, with predictions of crop yield reductions of up to 30% due to shifting weather patterns and extreme events like droughts and floods. The study concluded that the impacts of climate change on African agricultural economic development are profound and require immediate attention. Climate variability threatens crop yields, livestock productivity, and land availability, underlining the need for robust adaptation strategies to safeguard food security and economic stability in vulnerable regions across the continent. The study recommended that Governments and policymakers should prioritise the development and implementation of climate-resilient agricultural practices and provide support for smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change.