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Climate change can reverse progress in Africa

Climate change could significantly reverse progress made towards reducing hunger and poverty in Africa, the United Nations said on Tuesday (4 May 2010). The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned at a conference being held in Angola this week that crop yields are likely to be reduced as a result of global warming and increasingly erratic weather patterns.

Maize production could decline by 6.9%, FAO said. The agency added that climate change will affect Africa's poorest people disproportionately, especially subsistence farmers, as one third of its population lives in drought-prone areas.

African governments should focus on developing agriculture, sustainable natural resource management and climate change adaptation practices such as the promotion and protection of traditional and local foods, the FAO said.

Source: Panos London

Panos London promotes the participation of poor and marginalised people in national and international development debates through media and communication projects. It is part of the worldwide Panos Network of independent institutes working to ensure that information is used more effectively to foster debate, pluralism and democracy.

Go to: http://www.panos.org.uk
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