CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENT PRACTICES FOR SOIL AND CROP PRODUCTIVITY IN THE TROPICS

Abstract

The current greatest challenge facing agricultural production and global food security is climate change. It is a serious threat to global food security due to its effects on soil and crop productivity. The review evaluated climate change resilient practices for soil and crop productivity in the tropics.  Numerous existing studies on climate change and agriculture were majorly on effects, mitigation and adaptation strategies which are published more in international journals. However, studies on climate change resilient practices for soil and crop productivity in the tropics are very few, hence the need for the study. From the initial search of 55 journal papers, only 25 met the inclusion criteria using PRISMA procedures. The 25 journal papers that included information on climate change and agriculture, adaptation and resilience which were published in international and local journals between 2014 and 2024 were reviewed systematically. The study observed that changes in temperature and rainfall patterns have a great impact on the soil organic matter as well as the plants and crops and decline in soil fertility as a result of climate change, which brings more extreme weather events such as flooding, drought and more unpredictable weather conditions. Given the obvious effects of climate change on soil and crop, resilient practices are inevitable.  Resilient practices such as minimum tillage practice, mulching, crop rotation, agroforestry, planting drought and heat resistant crops, cover cropping, precision irrigation, etc. were identified. The results showed that the journal papers were published more in international journal than local. The results of the review also observed the need for more information on climate change resilient practices for soil and crop productivity in the tropics published locally since continuous effect of climate change is envisaged. The review recommends regular study on climate change resilient practices for soil and crop productivity in the tropics to ensure food security.