“As a species, we have failed. We are already exceeding the earth’s carrying capacity.”

Stark words, and a grim opening to the recent Climate Smart Agriculture Convention hosted by WinField United South Africa.

But now is not the time to cottonwool much-needed conversations about today and tomorrow. The opening message from Professor Eugene Cloete, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, did not beat around the bush, “we have witnessed a global population explosion never thought possible in the last few decades”. With billions of mouths to feed, a futile war on single-use plastics, increasing human migration patterns and carbon-coughing innovations, the initially gradual and now snowballing effect of climate change has never been a more spine-chilling reality.

In August 2021, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report concluding that there is no doubt that human activity is causing climate change. The report estimates that current temperatures are about 1.0°C higher than pre-industrial temperatures and predicts that temperatures will likely warm by 1.5°C by the early 2030s.

Temperature increases of 1.5 to 2°C are regarded as dangerous. Warming in the interior of the Southern Africa region is of particular concern and occurs at about twice the global average, which heightens the risk of extreme events, such as droughts and heatwaves.

About 12 000 years ago, human lives changed forever when agricultural systems developed, and societies switched from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to permanent settlements and farming. Today agriculture not only sustains life by providing the food we need to survive, but also creates much-needed employment, plays a big role in the international trade business, and helps people prosper around the globe.

Resource depletion and climate change pose major challenges to this cornerstone of the world’s sustainability. The time was ripe to create a platform for strategic thinkers and leaders in various industries to collaborate and find urgent solutions to facilitate resilience in the agriculture industry. Is it not too late already? In the words of the Champion of the Earth, Sir David Attenborough, “there is still time to change, and what we do in the next few years, will determine the outcome of the next few thousand years”.

This sentiment set the scene for the Climate Smart Agriculture Convention held outside Somerset West in the Western Cape in October 2022. Although we cannot reverse the effects of climate change, it is vital that we do everything possible to mitigate change, be prepared and protect the agriculture industry. It was a sight for sore eyes to see the venue occupied with experts, doctorates, risk mitigators and climate scientists alike.

Outsmarting tomorrow Panel discussion

Panel discussion on water sustainability and security:

Ashia Peterson (Director of Sustainable Resource Management in the Western Cape Department of Agriculture), Arthur Chapman (independent consultant), Professor Martin Steyn (Irrigation Specialist, Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria), Professor Adriaan van Niekerk (Industry Affairs, CGA), and Janet Lawless (National Marketing Manager, InteliGro).

According to Dr Peter Johnston, a Climate Scientist affiliated with the University of Cape Town, climate change does not just bring about problematic events like severe drought and increasing fire patterns. It also causes dramatic changes in how plants react and grow, and new pest and disease patterns that farmers now need to face and battle.

All the keynote speakers agreed that data is a non-negotiable necessity for a sustainable future, and more effort is required to facilitate accurate insights into better on-farm management, planning, optimised input and risk reduction. A lack of data simply means we are unprepared for the future.

Dr Miekie Human from Grain SA highlighted the fact that farmers must invest in climate smart agriculture practices, such as conservation agriculture. It might mean an initial higher input, but in the long run, it will be the only way to a higher return on investment. Andrea Campher from Agri SA underlined this and added that there will be a focus on different hazards impacting commodities, the sector at large, and relief efforts in response to the disasters. She stressed that every role player should commit to changes on farm, regional, national and international levels to make a definitive difference.

“Everything a farmer does, is aiming to understand what the climate is doing,” said Marius Boshoff, Chief Strategy Officer of WinField United South Africa. “Prevention is achieved through knowledge. Observation leads to decision-making. Intervention is finding solutions.” We need to turn data into insights and upskill the next generation for sustainability, therefore changing the attitude of young people and their parents towards agriculture as a career option.

Data solution-driven projects showcased, included Metos SA weather stations by Pessl Instruments, which accurately measure hyperlocal weather and give producers near real-time actionable insights to plan their operations. TerraClim, the brainchild of Dr Tara Southey, is a tool that integrates multiple climate data sources into one integrated database, which then translates into climate maps and subsequent climatic indexes aiding decision-making in the field over multiple seasons. DropSight is a revolutionary new spray deposition measurement tool that analyses deposition and provides insight via an app into potential adjustments to nozzles, speed and direction, among others, making it an ecologically and economically viable solution in agriculture.

Michelle Lesur from Andermatt Madumbi vocalised the importance of integrating a biological future focus on farm level. The ladybird being part of their logo is symbolic of the tiniest creature able to make an enormous ecological impact.

Sanjeev Raghubir, Group Sustainability Manager at Shoprite Holdings, outlined the various changes the largest retail company in Africa has been implementing to combat climate change, including switching to LED lights and installing solar panels at stores and warehouses. Even adding water tanks to stores to ensure business continuity can sway the consumers mind in the right direction – where giants go, we follow.

But neither data, good intentions, nor technology is worth anything if not converted into something viable. Sustainability needs to be an integral part of businesses, measurable and held accountable, it is not just about reaching sustainability points. Our minds need to change to include the mantra: “Do the right thing, because it is the right thing to do.” The greater good must be above the company or society needs.

Although the Millennial and Generation Z groups receive criticism for their ideals quite often, they are much more aware of the bleak future, and the importance of steps needed to rectify by taking big leaps right now. Agriculture needs to be presented as attractive to these young minds, the ag-leaders of tomorrow.

What message did most attendees take home after the Climate Smart Agriculture Convention? Judging by the active and vigorous interactions between delegates, the importance of such a platform where like-minded thinkers can collaborate and find solutions is indisputable.

Furthermore, humans need to see and embrace the bigger picture to survive. Imagine a world with enabling environments where people who want to make changes can do just that. Imagine living in a world where there is hope rather than living in fear of the future.

Imagine living in a world where everyone is warming up to CHANGE.

– For more information, contact Gabrielle Redelinghuys at [email protected].

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