Analyses Of The Economic Impact Of Climate Change On Togolese Agriculture

The impacts of climate change on agriculture may add significantly to the developmental challenges of ensuring food self-sufficiency and reducing poverty. Togo, in its configuration, has an agriculture that occupies 70% of the populations‘ vocation and generates 40% of the total GDP, but this agriculture is heavily depe ndent on weather conditions. C limate change tends to make Togo‘s population and economy more vulnerable. Togo to what extend the economy of its agriculture sector has suffered from climate change.The objective of this study is to assess the effects and extent of climate change on food crops production in Togo through the Ricardian model. Taking advantage of Feasible Generalized Least Square method(FGLS), in panel data of 33 prefecture of Togo from 2000 to 2011, the research carried out by means of secondary data and using the variables: production, linear and quadratic climatic variables(temperature, precipitation) and area of production. After the analyses using Stata 11, the study showed that the change of climatic conditions has significant effects on agricultural production in Togo. The model has established on one hand the relationship between food crops production and climate variables(temperature and precipitation) and secondly, has analyzed the sensitivity of food crops production to these climate variables. The results of the study showed that an increase in 1mm of rainfall results in an increase of food crops production output by 122 tons. However, an increase of 1 o C in temperature leads to a decline in output of 30969 tons(ceteris paribus). In order to adapt to climate change and increase food crops productivity some relevant recommendations were made.