Western Cape makes a plan to help farmers cope with climate change

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In South Africa’s Western Cape, agriculture plays an important role in the economy, job creation and socioeconomic development. But the sector is particularly vulnerable to a changing climate.

There have thus been calls for urgent action to guide and support the agricultural sector to adapt to the unavoidable impact of climate change. And to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Relevant government departments recognized that a strategic and co-ordinated approach was needed to develop long-term resilience to climate change. This could be done through climate-smart agriculture and by placing the sector on a clear pathway towards a green economy.

To do this, the University of Cape Town and two provincial government departments – Agriculture, and Environmental Affairs and Development Planning – collaborated on the Smart Agriculture for Climate Resilience program. It launched in August 2014.