A new report by Christian Aid shows that lovers' gifts—roses—are under threat from the impacts of climate change.
On February 14, some Kenyans joined the rest of the global community to commemorate Valentine’s Day.
During the day, lovers share gifts such as flowers which are now under threat.
Director of Policy and Public Campaigns at Christian Aid, Osai Ojigho, said roses are a special part of the Valentine’s Day tradition, but with many of them being grown in parts of the world vulnerable to climate change, their future is far from rosy.
Wildfire Flowers, Kenya, general manager Patrick Mbugua said he is very concerned about the impact of climate change on roses growing in the country.
“We’ve seen increased disease pressure due to unusual weather patterns; sometimes we have excessively hot weather, which sees a jump in the number of pests, and other times an unusually low temperature, which increases fungal infections, reducing yields,” Mbugua said.
He said another example is the availability of water for irrigation.
Mbugua said it is vital that the voices of the global south are heard at the international level.
“The global south emits far less than the global north, but we are paying a lot more in terms of the effects on the environment, poor climate and the negative impact on economic growth.”
Mbugua said the Kenya Flower Council has done a lot in lobbying concerns to the government for interventions, especially in policy or legislation.
It does a lot of training to create awareness among growers and their employees about the impacts of climate change and what interventions are available.
Nearly 60 per cent of all exported roses come from five countries in the global south that face growing dangers from extreme weather.
Three in East Africa include Kenya (19.1%), Ethiopia (5.1%), and Uganda (1%).
The two in South America are Ecuador (21.2%) and Colombia (12.4%).
The report highlights that East Africa already faces erratic temperatures and extended droughts, and extreme temperatures are expected to get both hotter and more frequent, something that could make rose growing highly challenging.
Roses also need plenty of water.
The report cites a study which showed that droughts in the area between 2020 and 2022 were found to have been more than 100 times more likely and more severe because of climate change.
Similar climatic dangers threaten the rose growing regions of South America.