Catholicism, Climate Change and Pests in Africa

The threat posed by insect pests is one of the major challenges to food production in Africa. By feeding on plant tissues and transmitting viral infections, these pests account for about 49% loss in yearly crop production in the continent. With over 60% of its population engaging in subsistence farming and about 23% of its GDP coming from agriculture, this challenge of insect pests has significant social, economic and political implications in Africa. Yet, this challenge is being made worse by climate change. Given that temperature is the main environmental factor affecting insect population dynamics, it has been projected that climate change will lead to the proliferation and survival capacity of pests. This calls for more innovative and affordable context-specific pest management strategies for the continent. The contributions of the Catholic Church to the global fight against hunger and food scarcity especially in Africa are well documented. However, not much information exists on the role or position of the Catholic Church on pest management in the continent especially in this era of climate change. This chapter will therefore discuss the role of the Catholic Church in addressing the threat posed by climate change-induced pests in Africa. Data for this study will be drawn from relevant online scholarly materials and ecclesiastic documents. Discussions of findings will highlight implications for the Catholic Church and policymakers in the continent.