CLIMATE CHANGE-INDUCED IMPACT: EFFECT OF HEAT ON AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN KAPOETA SOUTH COUNTY- SOUTH SUDAN.
Kapoeta South is a county in Eastern Equatoria State, located in the south-eastern part of South Sudan. It borders Kapoeta East and Kapoeta North Counties and lies close to the Kenya–Uganda–South Sudan border region. The area is part of the Greater Kapoeta region and is characterized by open plains, scattered hills, and semi-arid landscapes. Its location places it within the arid to semi-arid ecological zone of South Sudan. It is a hot, semi-arid tropical climate area, strongly influenced by climate variability and climate change.
In Kapoeta-South, the rise in temperatures together with dry spells, which are a part of the wider climate change trends in South Sudan, are and will continuously be a major factor affecting agricultural productivity and the welfare of the community. Farmers from Greater Kapoeta have stated that their crops are dying from extreme heat and rain shortage, leaving the land dry, with cracks, and unproductive thus resulting in nothing. This phenomenon of excessive heat and dryness is changing the traditional rain-fed farming patterns which are the main source of food and income for most families.
Specific Challenges for the Community
1. Crop Failures and Food Insecurity
• Crops like sorghum, maize, and vegetables are severely affected by heat as it dries out the soil and less moisture is available for them.
• The crops are dying due to hard conditions before the harvest thus resulting in poor yields of total loss of harvests.
• Heat stress that is unceasing adds to the already existing food insecurity, thus making it harder for the households to feed the kids and keep their nutrition.
2. Water Scarcity
• Water evaporation goes up with high temperatures while the local water sources, ponds, creeks, and wells become less due to reduced water level.
• Due to the water-fetching task, women and girls are often required to walk longer distances to reach the water source which not only increases their workload but also reduces the time available for other productive activities.
3. Health and Livelihood Strain
• Working outdoors, farmers are among those who suffer from dehydration and heat-related illnesses caused by heat stress.
• Less production equals less income for the families who depend on the sale of produce.
4. Wider Social Impacts
• The scarcity of food may cause the collapse of social order and lead to more disputes over the limited resources.
• The women, who carry the main responsibility for food production and supplying the household with water, are the ones who suffer most as they have to work harder.
How has the community adapted or responded?
The serious challenges that the community is facing are reflected in local and external answering, which reveal that the community is trying to cope with them:
New Farming Techniques
Half-moon water harvesting structures, soil conservation methods, and the growing of drought-resistant crop varieties are some of the practices that have been adopted by the World Food Program (WFP) as a partner in humanitarian aid for climate-resilient farming. These methods enable the practice of rainwater capturing and soil moisture enhancing thus the boosting of crop survival during dry periods.
2. Training and Capacity Building
Farmers are at the forefront of the training in climate-smart agriculture. They are learning how to diversify crops, rotate planting seasons, and adopt improved soil and water conservation practices to mitigate the impacts of heat and erratic rainfall.
3. Community and NGO Support
The small gardens or alternative food sources (like cassava) that the communities have been supported with are resilient to harsh conditions and thus they have reduced hunger and improved access to food during the drought periods.
4. Government and Organizational Awareness
The impacts of extreme heat and climate change are now being recognized by local authorities, state agricultural ministries, and international agencies more than ever. Plans are being made (or at least talked about) to modify planting calendars, enhance early warning systems, and adapt agricultural strategies to the new weather patterns.