Browsing by Author "Waithaka, Michael"

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    East African Agriculture and Climate Change
    (International Food Policy Research Institute, 2013) Waithaka, Michael; Nelson, Gerald C.; Thomas, Timothy S.; Kyotalimye, Miriam
    Agriculture accounts for 43 percent of the surveyed nations’ annual gross domestic product (GDP), on average, although the precise proportions vary considerably from country to country. For example, agriculture in Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Tanzania accounts for more than 50 percent of GDP while in Eritrea, Kenya, and Madagascar it accounts for less than 30 percent. Kenya’s low percentage is due to structural transformation toward a less agriculture-based economy. Despite these differences, farming in all the surveyed nations is dominated by smallholders reliant on rainfall. These farmers face the challenges of land degradation, poor soil fertility management, and continuous cropping. Sluggish growth in agricultural productivity translates into slow overall growth and generally low per capita income levels. Meanwhile, population growth in these 10 East African countries is among the highest in the world, which threatens to worsen already severe food insecurity.
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    East African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis — Uganda
    (International Food Policy Research Institute, 2012) Bashaasha, Bernard; Thomas, Timothy S.; Waithaka, Michael; Kyotalimye, Miriam
    Uganda occupies a total area of 241,038 square km, most of which is suitable for agriculture. Sixteen percent of the total area is water and swamps, while 7 percent is forested. Maize, beans, cassava, and banana (plantain) are the most widely grown crops. Uganda’s climate is regarded as its most valuable natural resource, one central to the livelihoods of many Ugandans. However, the last few decades have been marked by climate variability that has given rise to more frequent extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and landslides, damaging natural resources and hindering social and economic development. The country’s population grew by 3.7 percent between 2009 and 2010 (to a total of 32 million people). The population is expected to reach 103.2 million in 2050, assuming growth declines to 2.9 percent per annum between 2040 and 2050. The population remains predominantly rural (85 percent in 2010). At 50 years, life expectancy remains low. Malaria is the most prevalent fatal illness. The poverty rate is down from 31 percent in 2006 but, at 24.5 percent, remains high.