Super El Niño could hit southern Africa’s bean harvests hard: how to protect farmers

Grain legumes, also known as pulses, are an important source of calories and income for rural households and small farmers globally.

Beans, especially dry beans, are the most traded and consumed grain legume crop in southern Africa.

They are the primary staple and the second-most significant source of dietary protein for people in the region.

They’re also sensitive to water stress and high temperatures.

Agricultural researcher Moses Chitete was part of a team of researchers who reviewed 62 studies on legumes in the Southern African Development Community .

They found that extreme climate shocks have cut legume harvests by up to 78% in the past and could do so again.

We spoke to him about the risks and what governments must do to protect farmers.

How do climate shocks affect farmers and food supplies? Climate shocks include droughts, floods, extreme heat and unpredictable rainfall.

These affect legume crops across southern Africa.

My research aimed to find out how farmers and food supplies can become better protected from climate disasters or shocks.

I found that climate shocks can cut legume harvests by up to 78%.

Losing this much of the legume harvest because of climate disasters is a serious threat to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in southern Africa.

Drought, extreme heat or erratic rainfall reduces agricultural production, leaving households with less food and less produce to sell.

This can also increase food prices and reduce the availability of affordable sources of protein.