ROLE OF CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH INTEGRATED SOIL CROPPING LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Dr Oscar Koech, from the Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology from 30 October to 2 November 2023 attended the Mid-term coordination meeting for the RAF5090 - Supporting Climate Change Adaptation for Communities through Integrated Soil–Cropping–Livestock Production Systems (AFRA) regional project. The project is supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The project seeks to address the many agricultural productivity challenges in Africa amidst the climate change and variability.  Africa has been the most hit by climate change impacts, resulting in the frequent droughts and flood events, impacting on livelihoods that are most dependent on agriculture and environment resources. The project was designed with the fact that the economic growth pattern of most African countries is characterized by poor adaptation of modern technologies, particularly in the agricultural sector, which is largely low productive and based on large scale subsistence agriculture. The quantities produced by existing subsistence agriculture are relatively low compared to other parts of the world, with unsustainable production practices being employed by the majority of the farmers. This project aims to develop a model for increasing agricultural productivity at the farm level through an integrated crop and livestock system using nuclear science and technology, with the consideration of climate smart practices adoption within integrated soil-crop-livestock production system (ISCLPS). The meeting held Experts discussion on progress of Integrated Soil-Crop Livestock Production (ISCLPS) systems: We have to make Africa farming systems Sustainable and resilient to climate change impacts.