Abstract
Climate induced famine has had adverse effects and has been the worst disaster from which most resettled farmers experience and suffer from. It remains a topical agenda and a bone of contention in most countries of the global south. Despite remaining a challenge in most farming areas, the small holder farmers have struggled to come up with alternative livelihoods emanating from effective understanding of climate change. Hence using data from interviews, questionnaires and focused group discussions, this paper aimed at unravelling rural livelihoods which enhance local people’s understanding and grasping of the effects of climate change induced disasters in Mhondoro- Ngezi district. The study noted that smallholder farmers are applying conservation farming (CF), small livestock production, irrigation schemes like gardening, agro-forestry, gold panning and fishing. The research also pointed out that 62% of the local farmers were not satisfied with the level knowledge base they have concerning climate change. The snail pace development of a knowledge base on climate change is being held back by challenges which include poor service delivery by government departments, lack of resources, unclear selection of beneficiaries, extreme reliance on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and policy inconsistency. The study recommended that agricultural extension officers need to be capacitated so that they train farmers on the importance of seasonal climate change forecast information. There is need for increased participation in the realm of development agencies (NGOs and government) and be more sincere with the participation of communities through the development of a knowledge base on climate change adaptation programmes.
Highlights
Climate change will always have far reaching impacts on the agricultural sector, and will affect smallholder farmers whose livelihoods are precisely dependent on rain fed agriculture and have a low capacity to adapt
Adaptation strategies used by key respondents from this study show that they are indigenously invented; indigenous knowledge plays a critical role in climate change adaptation
The current study examined the development of a knowledge base on climate change in Mhondoro-Ngezi District where rural livelihoods continue to be jeopardised due to climate change
Summary
Climate change will always have far reaching impacts on the agricultural sector, and will affect smallholder farmers whose livelihoods are precisely dependent on rain fed agriculture and have a low capacity to adapt. Lack of an understanding and development of a knowledge base on climate change continue to pose serious threat and negatively impact economic, environmental and social spheres This can result in reduction in food production and income for farmers which will in turn leads to increases in market prices of commodities (Dercon et al, 2005). Realising policy framework gaps that have failed to cushion vulnerable farmers from livelihood threats posed by climate change, the government of Zimbabwe has of late made inroads to develop and better manage multiple climate change impacts. This has been seen through the lenses of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation development, comprehensive Agric policy framework 20122032. Climate change office is leading the formulation of a comprehensive National Climate Change
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