Perceptions on climate change and its impact on livelihoods in Hwange district, Zimbabwe

Charles Nhemachena,Shakespear Mudombi,Virginia Muwanigwa,Reneth Mano

doi:10.4102/jamba.v6i1.123

Abstract

This study investigated perceptions of rural communities on climate change and its impacts on livelihoods. The research was conducted in the semi-arid Hwange district in Matebelel and North province of Zimbabwe. The perceptions were compared with empirical evidence from climatic studies on trends on temperature and rainfall, and impacts on livelihoods in the country and region. The findings from the current study are generally in agreement with those of other studies that indicate changes in the climate, especially in terms of rainfall. This largely applies to short-term periods; however, for long-term periods it is difficult to accurately relate rural community perceptions to changes in rainfall over time. Despite perceived changes and impacts of climate change on local livelihood activities, mainly agriculture, there are multiple stressors that the communities face which also affect their livelihoods. Further evidence-based research is required to disentangle climate change impacts on livelihoods, including livelihood impacts arising from interactions of climate and non-climatic factors.

Highlights

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Fourth Assessment Report indicates that increases in warming and drying in Africa can impact agriculture by reducing crop yields by almost half by 2020 (IPCC 2007)
The perceptions were compared with empirical evidence from climatic studies on trends on temperature and rainfall and impacts on livelihoods in the country and region
The characterisation of past climatic conditions in recent years and decades was done in focus group discussions (FGDs)

Summary

Introduction

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Fourth Assessment Report indicates that increases in warming and drying in Africa can impact agriculture by reducing crop yields by almost half by 2020 (IPCC 2007). Evidence from Maddison (2007) on 11 African countries indicates that even if farmers accurately perceive climate change, some may still fail to adapt optimally because of limited access to information, adaptation technology options, markets and budgetary resources, amongst other factors This shows the importance of ensuring that rural communities have the means and resources to implement the various potential optimal adaptation strategies at their disposal to address current and expected climate change impacts on their livelihoods. The district is vulnerable to current and expected changes in climate, exacerbated by low adaptation capacity and climate change interaction with other stressors already being experienced in the area, such as food insecurity, poverty and ecosystem degradation (Hassan & Nhemachena 2008) These rural communities rely on dry land agricultural and natural ecosystem-based tourism activities. Empirical climate studies were used to validate farmers’ perceptions and implications on livelihoods

Ethical considerations

Results and discussion

Tourism acƟviƟes

Limitations of the study

Conclusion