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Context

• Southern Africa is experiencing severe drought.
• The drought is caused by El Nino, a natural climate cycle involving changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures, affecting global weather patterns, particularly rainfall and temperature.

Impact on Agriculture

• Agricultural productivity in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is severely affected.
• These countries have declared a state of disaster and are seeking humanitarian aid, particularly food aid.
• Over 70% of rural populations in these regions rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Importance of Climate Adaptation in Agriculture

Need for Adaptation

• The drought highlights the critical need for the agricultural sector to prepare for climate change impacts, including extreme weather events.

Biofuel Crops as a Solution

Potential of Biofuel Crops

• Biofuel crops, rich in starch, sugar, or oils, can be converted into bioethanol, which emits fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuels.
• Common biofuel crops: sugarcane, maize, grain sorghum, sugar beet, rapeseeds, and sunflower.

Drawbacks of Conventional Biofuel Crops

• Susceptibility to extreme weather.
• High initial investment in fertilizers, chemicals, and irrigation.
• Competition with food production, limiting their dual use.

Sweet Sorghum: A Promising Alternative

Advantages of Sweet Sorghum

• Indigenous to Africa and well-suited to harsh climatic conditions.
• Multipurpose crop: produces grains, animal feed, and sugary juice.
• High nutritional value, comparable to maize.
• Resilient in arid climates and useful for bioethanol production.

Nutritional Comparison with Maize

• Sweet Sorghum Grains: 342 calories/100g, 10g protein/100g, 72.7g carbohydrates/100g, 2.2g fiber/100g, potassium 44mg/100g, calcium 22mg/100g, sodium 8mg/100g, iron 3.8mg/100g.
• Maize Grains: 8.84g protein/100g, 71.88g carbohydrates/100g, 2.1g fiber/100g, potassium 286mg/100g, calcium 10mg/100g, sodium 15.9mg/100g, iron 2.3mg/100g.

Uses of Sweet Sorghum

Food and Beverage Production

• Grains used for steamed bread, porridge, and traditional and commercial beer production.

Animal Feed

• Residual plant material post-harvest is high in nutritional content for animals.

Bioethanol Production

• Stalk juice contains sucrose, glucose, and fructose for bioethanol production.
• Higher bioethanol yield compared to maize (8,102 liters per hectare vs. 4,209 liters per hectare).

Resilience to Adverse Conditions

Drought Resistance

• Sweet sorghum can enter a dormant state during dry periods and resume growth later.
• Utilizes stalk juice to sustain itself during water scarcity.
• Tolerant of low water, nitrogen inputs, and salinity.

Promoting Sweet Sorghum Cultivation

Current Agricultural Focus

• Dominated by non-native crops like maize, wheat, and rice.
• Lack of attention and research on African-origin crops like sweet sorghum.

Recommended Actions

• Raise awareness through agriculture extension services about sweet sorghum’s benefits.
• Develop recipes and industrial products to enhance feasibility.
• Invest in research and development to unlock sweet sorghum’s full potential through government and private sector support.

Conclusion

• Investing in and promoting the cultivation of sweet sorghum can provide a resilient, multipurpose crop well-suited for the challenging climatic conditions in southern Africa.
• This can help mitigate the impacts of drought and support sustainable agricultural development.

MUST READ ARTICLE:

THE NEED FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT AGRICULTURE: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/the-need-for-climate-resilient-agriculture

READ ABOUT BIOFUELS: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/biofuels#:~:text=What%20are%201G%20and%202G,from%20micro%2Dorganisms%20like%20algae.

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/biofuels-27

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Discuss the importance of climate-resilient agriculture in the context of increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. What strategies and practices can be implemented to enhance agricultural sustainability and food security in drought-prone regions?

SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH