The professor from the BRICS Research Institute in Pretoria, South Africa, explained how the systematic study and sharing of experiences help producers adapt to the consequences of climate change.
Effective support in the face of the environmental crisis requires a comprehensive scientific foundation that includes laboratory and field testing, as well as socioeconomic analyses, Maponya noted.
He also pointed out that, in South Africa—as in other BRICS countries—there is a clear divide among agricultural producers. Resource-rich farmers actively use weather forecasting systems, insure their crops, and manage water resources, helping them cope with climate-related risks.
Meanwhile, small family farms lacking sufficient resources employ various strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Maponya also stated that BRICS nations should learn from one another. He noted that some states, particularly Brazil, have made strides in ensuring food security, and that this experience could prove useful to other countries in the group.
South African scientists are currently studying Russia’s strengths in this area—which is precisely why the BRICS Research Institute was established—the South African expert concluded.
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