Climate Change, Agriculture and Rural Communities’ …
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7%, 3.5% and 3% respectively would be insufficient to compensate for the losses in
other field crops yields and net value.
Temperature increase would increase field crops’ water requirements by 1.75%,
while the SLR would decrease the field crops’ water requirements by 0.04% of
total field crops’ water requirements in Egypt. Thus, Egypt’s total field crops’ water
requirements is to increase by 1.71% based on 2015 data. Freshwater shortage due to
climate change and/or the construction of GERD in Ethiopia would further increase
the severity of field crops’ deficiencies in Egypt. Moreover, the inundation of agricultural land would reduce the working days by about 0.03% of the total working
days in Egypt, while temperature increase might increase working days per crop per
feddan to counter yield deficiencies through labor intensification, and crop diseases
fighting. The negative impact of yield reductions on landowners might partially be
offset by the price increase of agricultural products [43, 57].
The negative impacts of the climate change stimuli on the field crops’ area, production, net value and employment would affect Egypt’s food self-sufficiency as well
as the national budget by increasing imports. These impacts could also contribute to
the eruption of social tensions/instabilities.
After having discussed, the exposure of the Nile Delta governorates to the climate
change stimuli and the sensitivity of agriculture and farmers, the following section is
dedicated to the identification of the adaptive capacities of farmers in the Nile Delta
governorates.
4.3 Adaptive Capacity
The loss of agricultural field crops’ land, production, and net value would negatively
affect farmers (landowners and laborers) in the Nile Delta governorates and increase
their vulnerability. However, the impact on governorates and farmers would differ
depending on their adaptive capacities. The adaptive capacity refers to available
resources that help farmers cope with the impact of climate change on agricultural
land and livelihoods [6]. To establish the vulnerability of the Nile Delta governorates
and its farmers, their adaptive capacities are explored in this section.
According to Maddison [20] the adaptation of local communities to climate
change involves a two-stage process: first being aware of the change and then taking
the suitable decision regarding the adoption of a certain climate change adaptation
measure. Farmers’ awareness is dependent on their farming experience and access to
climate change related information. The selection of a suitable adaptation measure
to the climate change stimuli by farmers is supported by their education and other
socio-economic aspects that include the size of landownership, and access to funding
[17]. These stages are investigated in the following paragraphs.
Egyptian farmers have a long farming history and experience that enabled them
over the years to cope with scarcities, water shortages and unpredictable events [58].
545
7%, 3.5% and 3% respectively would be insufficient to compensate for the losses in
other field crops yields and net value.
Temperature increase would increase field crops’ water requirements by 1.75%,
while the SLR would decrease the field crops’ water requirements by 0.04% of
total field crops’ water requirements in Egypt. Thus, Egypt’s total field crops’ water
requirements is to increase by 1.71% based on 2015 data. Freshwater shortage due to
climate change and/or the construction of GERD in Ethiopia would further increase
the severity of field crops’ deficiencies in Egypt. Moreover, the inundation of agricultural land would reduce the working days by about 0.03% of the total working
days in Egypt, while temperature increase might increase working days per crop per
feddan to counter yield deficiencies through labor intensification, and crop diseases
fighting. The negative impact of yield reductions on landowners might partially be
offset by the price increase of agricultural products [43, 57].
The negative impacts of the climate change stimuli on the field crops’ area, production, net value and employment would affect Egypt’s food self-sufficiency as well
as the national budget by increasing imports. These impacts could also contribute to
the eruption of social tensions/instabilities.
After having discussed, the exposure of the Nile Delta governorates to the climate
change stimuli and the sensitivity of agriculture and farmers, the following section is
dedicated to the identification of the adaptive capacities of farmers in the Nile Delta
governorates.
4.3 Adaptive Capacity
The loss of agricultural field crops’ land, production, and net value would negatively
affect farmers (landowners and laborers) in the Nile Delta governorates and increase
their vulnerability. However, the impact on governorates and farmers would differ
depending on their adaptive capacities. The adaptive capacity refers to available
resources that help farmers cope with the impact of climate change on agricultural
land and livelihoods [6]. To establish the vulnerability of the Nile Delta governorates
and its farmers, their adaptive capacities are explored in this section.
According to Maddison [20] the adaptation of local communities to climate
change involves a two-stage process: first being aware of the change and then taking
the suitable decision regarding the adoption of a certain climate change adaptation
measure. Farmers’ awareness is dependent on their farming experience and access to
climate change related information. The selection of a suitable adaptation measure
to the climate change stimuli by farmers is supported by their education and other
socio-economic aspects that include the size of landownership, and access to funding
[17]. These stages are investigated in the following paragraphs.
Egyptian farmers have a long farming history and experience that enabled them
over the years to cope with scarcities, water shortages and unpredictable events [58].