Abstract
This study examines the impact of climate change on farming households in South Africa, using a profitability and utility framework to measure food insecurity within the agricultural sector. In light of various studies conducted to demonstrate the detrimental impacts of global warming within agricultural economics, we hypothesize that the consequences of a decrease in rainfall, an increase in temperature, and an increase in gas emission will substantially decrease agricultural yield over time. Using an OLS robust regression model, we empirically test this hypothesis using cross-sectional data on three crop varieties as the dependent variables, and their relationships with climatic and explanatory variables. Our results indicate that changes in rainfall, temperature, and land variables have significant impacts on agricultural production, although each crop type behaved differently according to their designated characteristics. Consistent with the hypothesis, the results show that an increase in temperature negatively impacts maize yield, and an increase in rainfall positively impact wheat and rice paddy yields.
Advisor
Brooke Krause
Department
Business Economics
Recommended Citation
Torio, Sarah, "Food for Thought: An Analysis of the Impact of Climate Change on the Food Security for South African Farming Households" (2017). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 7749.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/7749
Disciplines
Agribusiness | Agricultural and Resource Economics | Behavioral Economics | Business | Econometrics | Economics | Economic Theory | Environmental Studies | Food Security | Food Studies | Macroeconomics | Organizational Behavior and Theory
Keywords
Food security, South Africa, Climate Change, Agro-environmental Studies, Agriculture, Developmental Economics
Publication Date
2017
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2017 Sarah Torio