Finalist- People change but not climate change- Tori Maribe

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive
 

Hollard Insure and Farmingportal.co.za and Agri News Net - Young Agri Writers competition- Rest of the winners ( In no specific order)

People change but not climate change

We live in a world where technology is dominating in every aspect of our lives. The evolving of technology has proven to be quite helpful because it results in less energy used to do more work. The evolving of technology has introduced vehicles like cars which keep on improving in order to fit in the modern society of the 21st century.

The production of cars result's in every person in a household owning one. Unfortunately this has dire consequences because it means that more fossil fuel has to be burned to accommodate the vast variety of cars being produced.The burning of fossil fuels results in an increase of the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere which then lead to greenhouse effect.

Overtime the greenhouse effect leads to the increase in the earth's average temperature known as global warming. This global warming leads to the change of temperature over a long period of time known as climate change. When climate change occurs it results in extremely higher temperatures in an area often leading to droughts.

At other times these extremely higher temperatures result in desertification. Both the drought and desertification decrease soil fertility which unfortunately results in no/less food production .Less food production means that there are more crops dying per yield. Extremely higher temperatures also result in floods which wash away the top layer of soil rich in nutrients. As a result of this, soil fertility decreases which means that there a decline in the number of crops being produced in a farm.

The agricultural sector is made up of four sub-sectors named crop farming, fisheries, livestock and forestry. According to the South African Market Insights the agricultural sector is currently contributing roughly 2% to the GDP of South Africa. Despite being the smallest contributor to the GDP of South Africa, the agricultural sector is one of the most crucial sectors mankind needs. This is because the agricultural sector ensures food security in a country.

Food security in a country means that the people are not malnourished and are then able to work towards their livelihoods. The agricultural sector provides employment to the people which then increases the workforce of a country. The agricultural sector provides food which at other times may be produced at a surplus. Food produced at a surplus allows a country to engage in exporting which increases its foreign exchange.

The agricultural sector is affected by climatic effects such as droughts and floods. These climatic effects are influenced by climate change but the rate of which they occur can be reduced along with the drastic impacts. The rural community depends on farming to feed their families. This is only possible when they have access to rivers and lakes which can supply additional water to their farms. If people are not of the human factors contributing to climate change unfortunately things will take a turn for the worse. There will be increased temperatures which can dry up all water bodies.

Climate change will continue to become a devastating phenomenon when people don't change their behaviour towards their environment. Climate change will not change but people can, when they make it their priority to plant atleast a tree in their homes. Trees play an important role in the society because they help maintain both carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the atmosphere.

Tori Maribe


Newsletter Subscribe