Climate-smart circular agriculture (CSA) is an approach to help guide actions to transform agri-food systems towards green and climate resilient practices. CSA supports reaching internationally agreed goals such as the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. It aims to tackle three main objectives: sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes; adapting and building resilience to climate change; and reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions, wherever possible. [FAO]
CSA supports the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031 based on the Four Betters:
- Better production
- Better nutrition
- Better environment
- Better life for all, leaving no one behind.
Due to its backward and forward connections to the economy, agriculture—which makes up just around 2% of South Africa’s GDP—is seen as a key driver of growth for the rest of the country’s economy. As a result, it has been recognized as one of the important industries that could help the South African economy become more environmentally friendly. However, the global climate change’s impact on shifting climactic circumstances puts this potential in jeopardy.
A CSA approach depends on the local socioeconomic, environmental, and climate change conditions and is context specific. The FAO suggests that the strategy be put into reality through five action points: increasing the body of CSA-related evidence, promoting enabling policy frameworks, bolstering national and local institutions, improving funding and financing choices, and putting CSA practices into practice at the field level.
A CSA Technology Partner:
The increase in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs), to which agriculture contributes, is thought to be what drives the climate change. Climate change impacts include rising temperatures, less rain, and water scarcity, all of which will have a big influence on South Africa’s agricultural systems. Significant effects include a decrease in the area appropriate for both arable and pastoral agriculture, a shortening of the growing season, and a loss in agricultural yields.
Agriculture indeed suffers and is also a perpetrator of climate change, therefore efforts to green the economy through this sector must take into account both facets.
This is where climate-smart circular agriculture (CSA) shines since it incorporates both adaptation and mitigation strategies.
MEB houses comprehensive solutions with powerful and robust technology:
Numerous suitable adaptation and mitigation methods have been applied by the wine and fruit industries. By switching to drip irrigation instead of sprinkler irrigation, employing shed nets and selecting cultivars appropriately for changeable growing circumstances, and using windbreaks are some adaptation tactics.
Energy
- Solar PV panels
- Wind turbines
- Off-grid solutions
Water
- Water Treatment
- Wastewater Treatment
- Decentralized Modular Technology
- Leak Detection
- Smart Monitoring and Control
- Water Reclamation
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