Climate variability and urban food security in sub-Saharan Africa: lessons from Zambia using an asset-based adaptation framework

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that hydro-meteorological hazards such as droughts, floods and tropical cyclones will continue to afflict many regions of the world. The worst affected will be the majority of people in low- and middle-income countries as lives, assets, environmental quality and future prosperity are threatened by the increasing risk of climate variability. Recent changes in weather patterns in the city of Lusaka, ranging from frequent and increased temperatures, precipitation and flooding, have tended to affect the urban poor in terms of asset erosion, which consequently has had implications on their food security. Despite these impacts, the urban poor are not passive victims, but are actively involved in modifying their asset portfolios, in order to minimise climate variability-induced impacts. Drawing upon recent participatory field-based research in two informal settlements of Lusaka, this paper discusses the different asset adaptation strategies, employed by poor households in order to build their resilience against climate variability and secure food security.