Farmers living in Africa's mountain regions report alarming changes in local weather patterns such as increased temperatures, reduced fog, changes in rainfall, and an increase in extreme climate events such as droughts and floods.
The increasingly unpredictable weather patterns have led to significant changes in planting and harvesting schedules, as well as increased pests and disease in crops, livestock and humans. This has resulted in reduced crop yields - and less food. The changes have a profound effect on food security and human health, with repercussions extending beyond mountain communities to the thousands of people who depend on the resources downstream.
We already knew that mountain communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change but we did not have data specifically for Africa – surprising considering there are around 288 million people living in the continent's mountain regions.
The new data, published in Nature Climate Change, was gathered through interviews with 1500 smallholder farmers from ten mountain regions in eight countries across equatorial Africa: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Why didn't we know this before now?
"In most African mountains, there are no meteorological stations or long-term records of crop yields," explains Aida Cuni-Sanchez, the lead researcher from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. "Just because the changes were not recorded, it doesn't mean they didn't occur."
In the absence of historical data, the researchers recorded the farmers' experiences and indigenous knowledge to build a record of past changes. They found that there have been numerous climatic changes and impacts in the biophysical domain.
How can mountain communities adapt to climate change?
The study revealed that mountain communities have changed their farming practices in response to the changes in their environment. These changes include adopting new crop varieties and investing in alternative ways to manage water resources and soil erosion. Farmers have also increased their use of agro-chemicals and some are investing in more veterinary care for their livestock.
Whilst similar climate change effects were reported on all ten of the mountains studied, the ways the farmers try to adapt to the climate changes differed. This highlights the notion that a one-size-fits-all approach to climate change impacts should be avoided.
"Adaptation strategies must be tailored to the specific environmental, social and political dynamics of each mountain region," explains co-researcher, Rob Marchant (University of York). "They should carefully consider the unintended consequences of some national policies and the constraints of ongoing violent conflicts."
Tailored, community-driven solutions
The researchers urge increased investment in community-driven solutions that respect the unique characteristics of each region.They call for policies that are sensitive to the unique environmental, social, and political dynamics of each mountain area. As the study shows, national policies can have unintended consequences and can fail to address local challenges. In addition, local adaptation is particularly difficult in conflict-affected regions.
"Our study shows that in the conflict-affected English-speaking regions of Cameroon, farmers prefer to focus on farming land near villages; they stopped livestock-farming as animals can be easily stolen. But in eastern DRC - where there is also conflict - farmers are stopping farming and focusing on livestock. This is because, when conflict escalates, they can move away and re-locate with their cows - but they can't move their farms and crops. So, one needs to consider each context differently," explains Cuni-Sanchez.
"We need collaborative action between local communities and other stakeholders to co-develop sustainable adaptation strategies. Our study shows a need for global support to ensure that mountain communities have the tools, resources, and strategies they need to adapt to climate change and sustain their livelihoods for future generations. That is why we also wrote a policy brief to reach policymakers and practitioners," adds the tropical forest ecologist and ethnobotanist.
"The profound effects of climate change on mountain communities should not be underestimated," adds Marchant. "By working with international partners on how land use policy is developed and implemented, we hope to accelerate learning and support change from the ground up."
