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Published online 19 June 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.585
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Averting a climate-led food crisis in Africa
Local crop varieties could provide solutions to temperature rises.
Most African farmers will be able to find heat-resistant crop varieties within their own borders or in other countries on the continent, providing an easy first step towards adapting to climate change, according to new research.
A study to be published in the journal Global Environmental Change1 found that by 2050, most African countries will experience temperatures they have never before encountered over at least half of their crop-growing areas.
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Which part of the falling average global temperature is "warming"? http://mensnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/temp.jpg http://www.countingcats.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/uah_may_08.png http://home.comcast.net/~pdrallos131681/CO2/7390_large_hadcrut.jpg http://www.globalwarmingchallenge.co.uk/dn11639-2_808.jpg http://199.6.131.12/en/scictr/watch/climate_change/images/global_temp2.jpg
"A study to be published in the journal Global Environmental Change found that by 2050, most African countries will experience temperatures THEY HAVE NEVER BEFORE ENCOUNTERED.." By 2050? This is news? A study to be published? True perhaps they will experience temperatures by 2050 THEY HAVE NEVER BEFORE ENCOUNTERED - and they may possibly be colder. If indeed they are warmer I wonder if the researcher has a clue about horticulture? Tropical plants love the heat. Have a look at Hansen's maps they are red and crimson. At least on paper the Earth is fire hot. If you scan BBC weather news you will find "UK 'must plan' for warmer future" and "South west faces temperature jump" that's the headline. If you read further its says "..within 40 years.." My god! that's serious and science (not astrology)! They don't mention that Britain had snow in June, or that it was minus 7 in Brazil, or that the North West of America (about half the continent) has been having a record cold spell, or that New Zealand was blanketed by snow in May and June 09, or that snow is accumulating in Antarctica and central Greenland. August 28, 2008 - "Arctic ice might soon disappear." By the winter the ice had increased by 30% - not a mention of that. Thats only now - not worth mentioning. Whats going to happen in 40 years time, according to the warm-mongering alarmists, is of crying importance. Anthropogenic Global Warming is happening at least in the media. All news research and science to the contrary has been blanked out and Nature is part of this scam.
I will not guarentee that things will be warmer in 2050. For example, if enough ice melts quickly enough, the oceans will be cooled and that in turn will cool the air world-wide. However, that cooling would none-the-less be due to global warming. And if such a cooling does not materialize, then the efforts described above will be very much worth while. Indeed, there are many good reasons to maintain robust and complete seed banks, including the ability to guard against both expected and unexpected challenges.
I'm well aware of the "Columbian Exchange," but it still seems odd that maize, a crop of the Americas, is so important in Africa. I think Africa will have more success with its native crops (not to mention reducing the population of humans to provide more slack for environmental challenges).
Dear Jean SmilingCoyote I do not know why but you keep forgetting that though Africa is the second beiggest continent; its population density is among the lowest. I do not see when and how the people of Africa are a challenge to their countries or to others. Instead u better focus some where else.