MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON CROP PRODUCTION THROUGH CLIMATE SMART AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

Agriculture, particularly crop production, is being threatened by the negative effects of climate change. This review thus highlights the negative effects of climate change on crop production as well as the use of climate-smart technologies for mitigation. Climate variability and changes are setbacks to vital development goals, such as food security, which results from poor yield, making most farmers to diversify into other livelihood activities to the detriment of agriculture, which is under serious strain resulting from climate change and these effect are likely to worsen with time. The effects /impacts of climate change on crop production and food security are many and diverse, they include Reduced food availability and quality, Economic losses for farmers and agribusiness men and women, Negative impacts on human nutrition and health. It was concluded that Climate change has had a profound effects on crop production and therefore requires urgent intervention the effects reflected majorly as a result of drought, increase outbreak of crop diseases, insect infection and damage to crops as well as increase in cost of production and household spending, reduction of farm and none farm income, loss of harvest. Adaptation and mitigation strategies, such as sustainable agriculture practices, climate-smart Agriculture, digital technologies and ecosystem-based management, can help minimize these effects and ensure food security in the face of climate change. The government should provide agricultural inputs to farmers with a view to providing solutions to the incidence of pests and disease resulting from climate change, and advise farmers on appropriate strategies to cope with climate change.