scholarly journals Modelling farmers' adaptation strategies for climate change and variability: The case of the Limpopo Basin, South Africa

Agrekon ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glwadys Aymone Gbetibouo ◽  
Rashid M. Hassan ◽  
Claudia Ringler
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Climate Change And Variability

Multi-dimensional coping and adaptation strategies of small-scale fishing communities of Bangladesh to climate change induced stressors

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 446-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apurba Krishna Deb ◽  
C. Emdad Haque
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
International Development ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Fishing Communities ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fishing Villages ◽  
Climate Change And Variability ◽  
The Face

Purpose Coastal and floodplain areas are on the frontline of climate change in Bangladesh. Small-scale coastal and floodplain fishing communities of the country face a host of cross-scale stressors continually, some induced by climate change, and they have developed coping and adaption strategies based on customary social and experiential learnings. This paper aims to examine the coping and adaptation strategies that small-scale fishing communities undertake in the face of stresses including climate change and variability. Design/methodology/approach This research takes a nuanced ethnographic-oriented approach based on around two-year-long field study in two coastal and floodplain fishing villages, represented by two distinct ethnic groups. The study adopts direct observational methods to denote the ways small-scale fishing communities address the arrays of stressors to construct and reconstruct their survival and livelihood needs. Findings It was observed that fishers’ coping and adaptation strategies comprise a fluid combination of complex overlapping sets of actions that the households undertake based on their capitals and capabilities, perceptions, socio-cultural embeddedness and experiential learnings from earlier adverse situations. Broadly, these are survival, economic, physiological, social, institutional and religiosity-psychological in nature. Adaptation mechanisms involve some implicit principles or self-provisioning actions that households are compelled to do or choose under given sets of abnormal stresses to reach certain levels of livelihood functions. Originality/value Based on empirical field research, this paper recognizes small-scale fishers’ capability and adaptability in addressing climate change-induced stresses. Policymakers, international development planners, climate scientists and social workers can learn from these grassroots-level coping and adaptation strategies of fishing communities to minimize the adverse effects of climate change and variations.

Assessment of socio-ecological resilience of agropastoralists to climate change and variability impacts in Bariadi district, Tanzania.

2020 ◽  
pp. 122-152
Author(s):  
Eugen Cyrilo ◽  
Claude G. Mung'ong'o
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Community Resilience ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Ecological Resilience ◽  
Climate Change And Variability

Abstract In developing countries like Tanzania, societal vulnerability to the risks of climate change and variability (CC&V) exacerbate ongoing social and economic challenges because people's livelihoods are largely dependent on resources that are sensitive to climate change such as agriculture. Although studies show that most communities in Africa have low adaptive capacity, for centuries people have developed traditional adaptation strategies to face climate inter-annual variability and extreme events based on their long-term experiences. Various studies show how CC&V have impacted the socio-economic and and environmental conditions among the pastoral and agropastoral societies. However, little emphasis has been given to studying the community's resilience status to CC&V impacts. Much of the focus has been placed on studying the community vulnerability and impacts of CC&V as well as coping and adaptation strategies to avert CC&V impacts. Little is known on how the interaction between society and nature can enhance or reduce community resilience under changing climate. The study was conducted in two villages, Ibulyu and Mahaha, in Bariadi District. The main objective of the study was to deepen our understanding of the socio-ecological resilience of agropastoral communities to CC&V impacts in a semi-arid district. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research designs. Quantitative data were captured through a household survey whereas qualitative data was collected through focus group discussion, key informant interviews and field observation. The results show that CC&V have negatively affected the farming system in the study area. The ecological setting of the area has significantly been altered to the extent that it cannot provide the required ecosystem services and products that are important for human and livestock sustainance. Changes in the production system have negatively affected community resilience and increased their vulnerability.

scholarly journals Assessment of smallholder farmers’ perception and adaptation response to climate change in the Olifants catchment, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Funke Olabanji ◽  
Nerhene Davis ◽  
Thando Ndarana ◽  
Anesu Gelfand Kuhudzai ◽  
Dawn Mahlobo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Kendall Test ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Climate Trend

Abstract Climate change is expected to affect the livelihood of rural farmers in South Africa particularly the smallholder farmers, due to their overwhelming dependence on rain-fed agriculture. This study examines smallholder farmers' perception of climate change, the adaptation strategies adopted and factors that influences their adaptive decisions. The unit of data collection was household interview and focus group discussion. Climate data for the Olifants catchment (1986–2015) were also collected to validate farmers' perception of climate change with actual climate trend. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, Mann–Kendall trend, Sen's slope estimator and multinomial logit regression model. Results revealed that smallholder farmers are aware of climate change (98%), their perception of these changes aligns with actual meteorological data, as the Mann–Kendall test confirms a decreasing inter-annual rainfall trend (−0.172) and an increasing temperature trend (0.004). These changes in temperature and precipitation have prompted the adoption of various adaptation responses, among which the use of improved seeds, application of chemical fertilizer and changing planting dates were the most commonly practised. The main barriers to the adoption of adaptation strategies were lack of access to credit facility, market, irrigation, information about climate change and lack of extension service. The implication of this study is to provide information to policy-makers on the current adaptation responses adopted by farmers and ways in which their adaptive capacity can be improved in order to ensure food security.

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