The Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at CUT held its annual Public Lecture, focusing on the urgent and critical intersections of climate change, agriculture, and public health. The lecture aimed to delve into the significant challenges posed by rapidly changing weather patterns on agriculture and public health, as well as identify strategies to sustain agricultural productivity in the face of these pressing difficulties. 

Keynote speaker Mr Johan Van Den Berg, an agricultural meteorologist, delivered an insightful presentation on the challenges that farmers face due to climate change. He touched on how unpredictable weather patterns, such as droughts and changing temperatures, are affecting the timing of planting seasons. “Farmers are increasingly forced to plant during winter months, which are less ideal due to infrequent rainfall and rising temperatures,” he said. 

Mr Van Den Berg further mentioned countries such as Mexico, which experiences heavy rainfall, and Argentina, where dry conditions caused by tropical cyclones have affected crop production. “These weather phenomena have a significant effect on small-scale farmers, who struggle to cope with such extreme conditions. To address these issues, we need to shift our focus towards large-scale farming, which could better withstand the pressures of climate change.” 

He also identified climate change, demographic shifts, ecosystem degradation, and over-exploitation of natural resources as key drivers of these challenges. The result, he explained, is a socio-economic impact that threatens food and water security for many communities, particularly those dependent on small-scale farming. 

He added that despite these challenges, there have been improvements within the sector “our farmers are increasingly adopting new technologies, improving their use of existing technologies, and diversifying their farming methods. It's crucial for them to use common sense and to stay informed about local conditions, such as soil quality and weather patterns, to adapt and optimise their crop production in the face of climate change."