Abstract

AbstractClimate change is a major development challenge affecting developing countries that rely on rain-fed agricultural production for food and income. Smallholder farmers in these countries are using multiple adaptation practices to manage the effects of climate change. This chapter examines household and community-level factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change in the Hwedza District in Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 400 randomly selected smallholder farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study used a multilevel modeling approach to examine the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change. Results from the study show that smallholder farmers’ level of adaptation to climate change is conditioned by access to extension services, access to remittances, family labor, household education (household level factors), and linking capital (community-level factor). This chapter therefore concludes that smallholder farmers that have higher levels of adaptation to climate change are those that are well linked to external organizations and have access to agricultural extension services. The chapter recommends that adaptation to climate change can be enhanced by improving access to agricultural extension services and promoting linkages with external organizations that provide information on agricultural adaptation practices.

Highlights

  • Introduction and BackgroundClimate change is a major development challenge facing developing countries those in Southern Africa (Ali and Erenstein 2017; IPCC 2014)

  • The chapter proposes the use of the hierarchical linear modeling technique to examine the drivers of the level of adaptation to climate change among smallholders’ farmers in the Hwedza District of Zimbabwe

  • Quantitative and qualitative data used in this study was solicited from smallholder farmers using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews

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Summary

Introduction and Background

Climate change is a major development challenge facing developing countries those in Southern Africa (Ali and Erenstein 2017; IPCC 2014) These countries are battling to address multiple stressors that include a high incidence of poverty, chronic food insecurity, malnutrition, HIV, lack of disaster preparedness, political upheavals, and macroeconomic instability (Adego et al 2018). The chapter proposes the use of the hierarchical linear modeling technique to examine the drivers of the level of adaptation to climate change among smallholders’ farmers in the Hwedza District of Zimbabwe. This model addresses the weaknesses of confounding that are inherent in models used in previous studies. It is difficult for policymakers to enhance current and future adaptation by smallholder farmers

Data Gathering and Analytical Framework
Multilevel Estimation of Determinants of Level of Adaptation
Promote Learning Through Linkages with Public and Private Extension Services

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