Loobobilly Saint Kitts and NevisNews- Climate Change impacting Agriculture Sector

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - FARMERS in St. Kitts and Nevis are being urged to be cognizant of the effects of Climate Change and the impacts it is having on the Agriculture Sector. This call comes as the Federation recently joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Food Day under the theme ‘Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too’. Addressing a number of farmers and fishermen at an award and appreciation ceremony held recently, Senior Environmental Officer June Hughes explained that with the introduction of industrialized machinery, the world has moved from limited greenhouse gases comprising carbon dioxide and methane, among others, to  a rapid increase in emission which has been synonymous with the development. She noted that “greenhouse gasses literally act like greenhouses and trap the UV radiation in the atmosphere causing a warming effect”. Additionally, it has had a major effect on the local Agriculture Sector as last year and some sections of 2016, the industry was hard hit by the reduced amounts of rainfall. “Climate change is also called global warming, but please note it is not limited to warming alone”, she advised. It also speaks to reduce rainfall levels, Hughes noted, adding that “our second National Communication shed some light on this”. The Second National Communication is a report that captures and provides information on a country’s greenhouse gas emissions and what plans are there to reduce them. According to the Environmental Officer, the report identified that there is going to be a reduction in rainfall amounts from 9-19% by 2020, 0-45% by the mid-century and 25-475% by 2090. “For the wet season, there is a projected rainfall of 2-16% in 2020’s and 16-40% by 2050,” she pointed out. Moreover, Hughes noted that it means that farmers could no longer rely on traditional practices such as rain-fed agriculture based on “this very depressing projection”. “In order to effectively deal with Climate Change, we must develop adaptive measures. Your approach must be along similar lines as to when you are confronted by a persistent pest. In order to improve water availability, we have recommended that each farmer practice water harvesting. That is if you are not doing so as yet. “We also recommend that you reduce water wastage. That is, you practice drip irrigation. We  recommend that you plant windbreaks, which would cut done on vapour transformation of the soil.” She disclosed that they would continue to engage the sector as the agriculture industry evolves.   Courtesy