Dry, Hot Weather to Reduce South African Harvests

Dry, Hot Weather to Reduce South African Harvests
BY Charisma Aldelano February 28, 2018

The United Nations predicts that 2018 crop yields in South Africa will be low due to severe water shortages and dry, hot weather.

Reduced harvests will intensity food insecurity in 2018 and increase the number of people in need of assistance. In 2017 the region saw record numbers of maize production. However, erratic rainfall and an intense dry period will not yield the same results this year.

Southern Africa’s water sources and crops are under serious pressure as a long dry spell and high temperatures have taken hold in the region, the United Nations agriculture agency said Tuesday, warning that after record maize production in 2017, food shortages are set to worsen this year.  – UN, Feb 27th, 2018

The region is also seeing the Fall Armyworm infest many crops. Without heavy rains to contain the pest’s spread, the infestation will impact crop yields.

Aldelano Solar Cold Chain Solutions is creating innovative off-grid resources to tackle global issues such as food waste and crop storage. When harvests are critical, the Solar ColdBoxTM can help farming communities reduce food waste through cold storage on location or during transport.

The Aldelano Solar ColdBox is an industrial grade cold storage solution that can be rented out to local farmers, utilized by governments or solely owned and operated. We cannot stop intense dry seasons. However, off-grid solar resources can play a role in ensuring harvests do not go wasted.

The alert for Southern Africa came from FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva during his speech in Sudan’s capital where he emphasized boosting the resilience of communities to ensure “Zero Hunger.” Off-grid, solar resources have the power to strengthen communities in need. Aldelano Solar Cold Chain Solutions aims to assist remote communities that do not have access to the power grid, clean water or the necessary storage for harvests through solar equipment. Aldelano’s ready-to-use solutions require little to no maintenance while packing enough power to support an entire village.

 

Citations:

“Dry, Hot Weather Likely to Reduce Harvests in Southern Africa, UN Warns | UN News.” United Nations, United Nations, 27 Feb. 2018, news.un.org/en/story/2018/02/1003671.