IVORY COAST: Farmers in Ivory Coast say they can no longer rely on usual seasonal weather

Record ID: 181613

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Farmers in Ivory Coast say they can no longer rely on usual seasonal weather
  • Date: 25th March 2010
  • Summary: TANOKRO, IVORY COAST (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FARMERS WALKING ON COCOA FARM WOMAN CLEANING COCOA PLANT COCOA GROWING ON TREE MAN CLEANING COCOA TREE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FARMER, TANO N'GUESSAN, SAYING: "Before, it rained a lot. From March onwards you saw the regular rains until mid July. And from mid-July until September it was the down season. Everyone knew that. We lived well and we could organise our field work based on these seasons. But for about a decade or so, maybe even 15 years, things have become a lot more difficult." FARMER CRACKING A COCOA POD WITH A MACHETE BEANS INSIDE OPEN COCOA POD FARMER EATING COCOA BEANS (SOUNDBITE) (French) LOCAL FARMER MADELEINE OULI SAYING: "Before there was a lot more cocoa, we cultivate rice. We would start planting in March and April, and in May it would rain so much that that we could not put the rice to dry in the sun." FARMERS FARMER HOLDING UP COCOA POD (SOUNDBITE) (French) FARMER, TANO N'GUESSAN, SAYING: "We need a plan for Ivorian agriculture, we need a real plan to allow for reforestation, to encourage rains to come back, we're not in a desperate situation yet, but farmers are getting fed up." TIASSALE, IVORY COAST (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RICE FARMERS SHOWING A DRY RICE FIELD VARIOUS OF FARMERS IN THE RICE FIELD CROP ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) BROU KOUAME, AGRICULTURAL CLIMATOLOGIST, SAYING: "Given this (weather) discrepancy, we advise farmers to try to cultivate their crops in the lower lying areas which are a little bit more humid. Because these areas are better suited to agriculture, when you take into account the drought. Plants don't have very much water, so we have to point agriculture towards areas that do." VARIOUS OF FARMERS CUTTING THE ROD OF RICE VARIOUS FARMERS
  • Embargoed: 9th April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Environment / Natural World,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA48WYYM694RONN9GC8ZRINJJLH
  • Story Text: Unpredictable weather patterns in Ivory Coast harms local crops.
    Local farmers in the Ivory Coast say that erratic weather linked to climate change is hindering subsistence and export crops in the region.
    The farmers complain they can no longer predict when the rains or dry heat will come.
    "Before, it rained a lot. From March onwards you saw the regular rains until mid July. And from mid-July until September it was the down season. Everyone knew that. We lived well and we could organise our field work based on these seasons. But for about a decade or so, maybe even 15 years, things have become a lot more difficult," said Ivorian cocoa farmer Tano N'guessan.
    Madeleine Ouli, who grows coffee, cocoa and rice agrees with him.
    "Before there was a lot more cocoa, we cultivate rice. We would start planting in March and April, and in May it would rain so much that that we could not put the rice to dry in the sun."
    Some farmers said that they used to get three tonnes out of their farm in the south Ivory Coast village of Kouamekro. Now they get half a tonne. A strategy is needed explain N'guessan.
    "We need a plan for Ivorian agriculture, we need a real plan to allow for reforestation, to encourage rains to come back, we're not in a desperate situation yet, but farmers are getting fed up," added N'guessan.
    Africa is predicted to be the continent the most affected by and least prepared for climate change caused by human emissions of made carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
    "It seems as if Africa is going to be hit the hardest," Christian Nellemann, a climate expert at the United Nations Environment Programme told Reuters by telephone.
    Some small measures are being recommended to local farmers to try to combat the problem.
    "Given this (weather) discrepancy, we advise farmers to try to cultivate their crops in the lower lying areas which are a little bit more humid. Because these areas are better suited to agriculture, when you take into account the drought. Plants don't have very much water, so we have to point agriculture towards areas that do," explained Brou Kouame, an agricultural climatologist.
    As with all climate forecasts, there are big uncertainties about global crop yields. No one knows quite how bad it'll be.
    The broad picture is that while northern countries at high latitudes may actually benefit from warmer weather as they enjoy longer growing seasons, the tropics are likely to suffer.
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