How droughts will affect south africa s broader economy editions. What the drought did was highlight existing vulnerabilities in south africas water system, and properly frame the magnitude of the challenge of ensuring water security for the country. According to the south african weather service, 2015 was the driest year on record in south africa dating back to 1904. Water is one of the most essential commodities for human survival, second only to breathable air. The western cape drought has had a big effect on total production, with export volume down 25%, on average, comparing the 5 years running from 20089 to. Some of the worst droughts witnessed in subsaharan africa have been associated with global warming and climate change. How droughts will affect south africas broader economy. South africa is facing one of the worst droughts to hit the region in 30 years. Drought and its effects on the agricultural industry. Africa is a good example of great vulnerability to drought and desertification and a seemingly inability to manage these climate based issues.
After day zero, cape town will revert back to medieval times when diseases like cholera and possibly even the plague emerge, as. A drought means a long period of dry weather during which the lack of rain results in a severe shortage of water. Worst drought in 30 years hits sout africa bbc news. The meeting followed an indepth analysis of the impacts of the drought on all major longterm crops, major vegetables, jobs, exports and other factors, as well as the impact on emerging farmers. The 201820 mozambique drought is an ongoing period of drought taking place in southern africa. Water is essential to all life on earth and a shortage of this vital resource in the environment is bound to negatively affect all forms of life. Welderufael abstract the objective of this study was to characterize meteorological droughts in the central region of south africa, modder river basin, c52a quaternary catchment using two popular drought indices.
Should south africa experience another extended drought period, water shortages will become acute and could result in extreme measures, including water rationing. What has the overall effect of the drought been on south. This report discusses why drought occurs in the united states. A deficit of water can lead to the drying out of wetland habitats. If the pattern of drought continues in south africa its likely to affect the countrys financial standing too.
South africa is battling one of the worst droughts ever recorded that already started in early 2015. Western cape province in south africa is going through a severe drought, affecting in particular the highly populated urban area of cape town and its water supply. This issue is an enormous challenge botanically because the subcontinent contains an extremely diverse flora distributed in ecologically distinct biomes. Cape towns residents can be fed with crops grown in south africa s other provinces. Section four highlights the challenges and constraints encountered in the implementation of various measures to combat desertification and mitigate effects of drought in africa. These are just two of the headlines that appeared in january. Wfp 2016, specifically covering the period october 2015 to january 2016 wfp 2016, it followed the third driest season in the. Impact of drought on food scarcity in limpopo province, south africa phokele maponya and sylvester mpandeli department of environmental sciences, university of south africa, pretoria 0002, south africa. The effects of the drought vary from region to region and from crop to crop. Over southern africa, temperatures are expected to rise faster at 2 c, and areas of the southwestern region, especially in south africa and parts of namibia and botswana, are expected to. This study investigated and analysed the preparedness, impact of and.
Since 1904, rainfall in all nine provinces has averaged 608mm per annum, while in 2015 south africa received an average of only 403mm 66% of the annual average. Recurrence of drought in nigeria causes effects and report,1 understanding what drought is and its causes, how it has affected north america in the past, and how drought may affect the united states in the future all bear on actions congress may take to prepare for and mitigate the effects of drought. Mar 06, 2018 cape towns residents can be fed with crops grown in south africa s other provinces. By examining the states response to drought over time, with a specific focus on. The environmental effects of a drought can include. Sep 14, 2018 effects of drought on the environment. Impacts of drought induced water shortages in south africa. The south african country study is one of the first of its kind to address the issue of biodiversity responses to climate change explicitly. Drought is a major disaster in south africa in terms of total economic loss and number of people affected. Farmers will have to contend with spending huge sums of money for irrigation and watering animals. This study investigated and analysed the preparedness, impact of and response by the. The effects are also being felt further to the north. Aug 15, 2012 the effects are also being felt further to the north.
In many extensive production areas, subsistence and smallscale farmers, as well as commercial farmers, have been unable to provide feed for their. Mar 06, 2019 if the pattern of drought continues in south africa its likely to affect the countrys financial standing too. Mar 31, 2020 northern africa and the sahel, a band of farmland south of the sahara, are experiencing drought. The drought began in late october 2018, and is negatively affecting food security in the region. The global warming situation tends to exacerbate the drought conditions. Mar 17, 2019 drought can have serious health, social, economic, and political impacts with farreaching consequences. As of midaugust 2019, the drought is classified as a level 2 redclass event by the global disaster alert and coordination system. Accepted 28 august, 2012 drought in limpopo province is having serious ecological and economic consequences and will pose an. Refugees from those regions are close on the heels of syrian and afghan migrants into europe. The effects of drought are widespread and have devastating effects on the environment and the society as a whole. Impact of drought on food scarcity in limpopo province, south. Limpopo is the breadbasket and agricultural engine of south africa, accounting for nearly 60% of all fruit, vegetables, maize, wheat, and cotton. The current drought is the effect of a sustained belowaverage monthly rainfall series since 2015, which intensified in the last wet season april to september 2017.
The key summer crop production areas have been the worst affected, although the impact of the drought is being felt nationwide. The sahara desert is expanding southward into sudan and chad. In section five, lessons learned are reflected upon, and priority approaches and actions. Therefore the current drought has had the most devastating impacts on the agriculture industry because of the effects on the food production chain. When there is a droughtwhich by definition means having too little water to meet current demandsconditions can become difficult or. In zimbabwes matabeleland region, ranchers are forced across the border with south africa in search of grazing land. Many small farmers are expected to go out of business as food production and prices increase, especially in. Smal south africa is currently experiencing one of the severest droughts of the past century and agricul tura l production in the summer rainfall regions is expected to be markedly lower than what could have been expected in a normal rainfall year. According to a new policy brief from the bureau for food and agricultural policy bfap, south africas total rainfall in 2015 was the lowest national annual precipitation seen by the south african weather service since 1904. The impact of drought on subsaharan african economies. Box 1 impact of drought on the manufacturing sector in zimbabwe 28 box 2 model hng the economic impact of the 1992 drought in south africa 32 box 3 impact of drought on the distribution of income 35 box 4 lake kariba and the 199192 drought 37 box 5 modelling the longerterm impact of drought 40 figures. Drought reducing maize yields in south africa portal.
Below is an outline of the main economic impacts of droughts. The current drought is recorded as one of the worst to ever hit south africa, and its effects on the countrys economy have been severe, pushing food prices up due to crippled key crops, like maize the countrys staple food. Drought is one of the most frequent and devastating phenomena that occur in south africa. The south african weather service defines a drought as a period of 12 moths when. Impacts of drought such as the effects on a regions climatology, increases in food insecurity and food prices and the integration of drought with.
Economic effects of droughts usually involve loss of money by governments, enterprises, families or individuals. Apr 08, 2016 last year, south africa received its lowest rainfall since 1904. Aug 31, 2012 drought is a major disaster in south africa in terms of total economic loss and number of people affected. Effects of drought arrive in southern africa south.
What are the effects of a drought on the environment. Effects of drought arrive in southern africa south africa. Oct 05, 2017 south africa is battling one of the worst droughts ever recorded that already started in early 2015. Effects of drought the effects of drought are widespread and have devastating effects on the environment and the society as a whole. Since 1904, rainfall in all nine provinces has averaged 608 mm per annum, while in 2015. Jaco minnaar, chairman of grain sa, an industry body that represents grain producers, said the reduced plantings could have devastating. By 2050, there may be more than 140 million climate refugees on the move. Drought and its associated impacts have been causing critical problems for agriculture, vulnerable communities and overall development for many years in south africa. The impacts of drought first order impacts such as food security concerns and second order impacts such as increasing food imports from abroad produce a range of effects for many in society benson and clay, 1998. Notes on the macroeconomic effects of the drought by e. Drought, animal disease threatens south african farmers. Types, causes and effects of droughts earth eclipse.
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