Crop Diseases, Pests and Food Insecurity in Africa: An Islamic Perspective

Religion shapes the views of believers regarding their perceptions of nature, hence the fundamental need to understand the role of religion in climate change and its effects. Islam constitutes the second largest faith group in Africa and whose adherents are concentrated in regions particularly affected by global warming and its effects such as rising temperatures and dwindling fresh water supplies. Rising temperatures have also contributed to the emergence and spread of crop diseases, pests and pathogens, which have exacerbated global food insecurity. The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) drafted an “Islamic Declaration on Climate Change,” (2015) which called on countries to phase out greenhouse gas emissions and to commit to a zero emissions strategy. This chapter examines the role of Islam on food security and climate change in Africa, specifically in North Africa, the Horn of Africa and Sahel regions. The chapter attempts to answer the following broad questions: firstly, how can Islam be used to combat climate change in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13; secondly, in what ways could Islam be an avenue to end hunger, achieve food security and promote sustainable agriculture in Africa as per SDG 2? The chapter postulates that Islam has knowledge and teachings from the Quran and Sunna which offer mechanisms that could mitigate effects of climate change, ensures economic equity and food security. It is concluded that for Muslim regions of Africa to align and achieve SDG 13 and SDG 2, there is need to operationalize the principles of Islam.