scholarly journals Are Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Variability and Change Supported by Climate Records? A Case Study of Lower Gweru in Semiarid Central Zimbabwe

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Makuvaro ◽  
Cyril T. F. Murewi ◽  
John Dimes ◽  
Ignatius Chagonda
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Extreme Event ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Dry Spells ◽  
Rainfall Trends ◽  
Reliable Source

Abstract The livelihoods of the majority of people in semiarid areas of developing nations are based on rain-fed agriculture. In the wake of climate variability and change, communities in these regions are the most vulnerable because of their limited capacities to adapt to environmental changes. Smallholder farmers in the study area, Lower Gweru in central Zimbabwe, ascertain that they have observed changes in some rainfall and temperature patterns. These changes include higher temperatures, an increased number of seasons without enough rainfall, and an increased frequency of droughts and lengths of dry spells. The aim of this study was to find out whether farmers’ perceptions are supported by mean and extreme event trends in observed historical climate data. Gweru Thornhill meteorological data were analyzed for significant trends. The analysis showed that temperatures are increasing significantly, consistent with farmers’ observations that temperatures are getting hotter. This study revealed that farmer perceptions on rainfall were not consistent with historical climatic trends. Thus, farmers in the Lower Gweru area may not be a very reliable source of long-term rainfall trends.

scholarly journals Social Process of Adaptation to Environmental Changes: How Eastern African Societies Intervene between Crops and Climate

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Mwongera ◽  
Joseph Boyard-Micheau ◽  
Christian Baron ◽  
Christian Leclerc
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Logistic Model ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Social Process ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Dry Spells ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Short Rains ◽  
Time Substitution

Abstract Studies on climate change can only be conducted on a long time scale, and observing how societies adapt their sowing practices to climate variability is challenging and costly. As an alternative, a space and time substitution design was used, changes in space corresponding to that induced in time by environmental change. On the eastern slope of Mount Kenya, the Tharaka community, originating from the lowlands (750 m), moved up to the midlands (950 m) with their lowland-adapted resources, whereas the Mwimbi, originating from wetter upland (1100 m), moved down to the midlands with their highland-adapted genetic resources. A weather station was installed at 950 and 1100 m, and a logistic model was used to analyze the probability of sowing failure as a function of the length of dry spells after sowing. A total of 1691 plots in 40 surveyed farms were surveyed to compare the Mwimbi and Tharaka during 2 yr and four growing seasons, controlling crops and altitude. Although seed-sowing practices were similar in both communities, the relative risk of sowing failure was 3.3 times more for the Mwimbi than for the Tharaka during the Short Rains, and 1.5 times more during the Long Rains. This difference can be explained by within-community seed exchanges, as Tharaka seeds, originally from the lowlands, are adapted to drier conditions, whereas Mwimbi seeds are adapted to wetter conditions. The findings suggest an impact of historical and social factors on the mitigation of sowing failure risk. Thus, they must be considered as an integral part of the adaptation process to climate variability and change.

scholarly journals Climate Variability Since 1970 and Farmers’ Observations in Northern Ghana

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Nyadzi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Access To Credit

<p>The study examines how farmers’ observations of climate variability and change correspond with 42 years (1970-2011) meteorological data of temperature and rainfall. It shows how farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana adjust to the changing climate and explore the various obstacles that hinder the implementation of their adaptation strategies. With the help of an extension officer, 200 farmers from 20 communities were randomly selected based on their farming records. Temperatures over the last four decades (1970-2009) increased at a rate of 0.04 (± 0.41) ˚C and 0.3(± 0.13)˚C from 2010-2011 which is consistent to the farmers (82.5%) observations. Rainfall within the districts are characterised by inter-annual and monthly variability. It experienced an increased rate of 0.66 (± 8.30) mm from 1970-2009, which was inconsistent with the farmers (81.5%) observation. It however decreased from 2010-2011 at a huge rate of -22.49 (±15.90) mm which probably was the reason majority of the respondents claim rainfall was decreasing. Only 64.5% of the respondents had adjusted their farming activities because of climate variability and change. They apply fertilizers and pesticides, practice soil and water conservation, and irrigation for communities close to dams. Respondents desire to continue their current adaptation methods but may in the future consider changing crop variety, water-harvesting techniques, change crop production to livestock keeping, and possibly migrate to urban centers. Lack of climate change education, low access to credit and agricultural inputs are some militating factors crippling the farmers’ effort to adapt to climate change.</p>

scholarly journals CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CHANGE: FARMER PERCEPTIONS AND UNDERSTANDING OF INTRA-SEASONAL VARIABILITY IN RAINFALL AND ASSOCIATED RISK IN SEMI-ARID KENYA

2011 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. P. C. RAO ◽  
W. G. NDEGWA ◽  
K. KIZITO ◽  
A. OYOO
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
General Tendency ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Probabilistic Nature ◽  
Semi Arid

SUMMARYThis study examines farmers’ perceptions of short- and long-term variability in climate, their ability to discern trends in climate and how the perceived trends converge with actual weather observations in five districts of Eastern Province in Kenya where the climate is semi-arid with high intra- and inter-annual variability in rainfall. Field surveys to elicit farmers’ perceptions about climate variability and change were conducted in Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Mwingi and Mutomo districts. Long-term rainfall records from five meteorological stations within a 10 km radius from the survey locations were obtained from the Kenya Meteorological Department and were analysed to compare with farmers’ observations. Farmers’ responses indicate that they are well aware of the general climate in their location, its variability, the probabilistic nature of the variability and the impacts of this variability on crop production. However, their ability to synthesize the knowledge they have gained from their observations and discern long-term trends in the probabilistic distribution of seasonal conditions is more subjective, mainly due to the compounding interactions between climate and other factors such as soil fertility, soil water and land use change that determine the climate's overall influence on crop productivity. There is a general tendency among the farmers to give greater weight to negative impacts leading to higher risk perception. In relation to long-term changes in the climate, farmer observations in our study that rainfall patterns are changing corroborated well with reported perceptions from other places across the African continent but were not supported by the observed trends in rainfall data from the five study locations. The main implication of our findings is the need to be aware of and account for the risk during the development and promotion of technologies involving significant investments by smallholder farmers and exercise caution in interpreting farmers’ perceptions about long-term climate variability and change.

Elderly smallholder farmers’ perceptions of and adaptation to climate variability and change in rural Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Divine Odame Appiah ◽  
Felix Asante ◽  
Lois Antwi-Boadi ◽  
Richard Serbeh
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Pension Scheme ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to examine elderly smallholder farmers’ perceptions of and adaptation to climate variability and change in the Offinso Municipality, Ghana. Design/methodology/approach This paper used quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were analyzed with frequencies and chi-square tests, whereas qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Findings The results showed that elderly smallholder farmers’ knowledge of climate variability and climate change were based on their sex, level of formal education and experience in farming. Elderly smallholder farmers adopted both on-farm and off-farm strategies to cope with climate change and variability. The vulnerability of elderly smallholder farmers to climate change calls for social protection mechanisms such as a pension scheme that guarantees access to monthly cash transfers. Such a scheme will ease constraints to livelihood and ensure improved well-being. Originality/value Elderly smallholder farmers have remained invisible in discourses on perceptions and adaptation to climate change despite the surge in number of this category of farmers. This paper therefore represents an attempt to highlight the experiences of elderly smallholder farmers with climate variability and change.

Remote Sensing of African Rainfall

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tufa Dinku
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Climate Services ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Satellite Rainfall

Climate data support a suite of scientific and socioeconomic activities that can reinforce development gains and improve the lives of those most vulnerable to climate variability and change. Historical and current weather and climate observations are essential for many activities, including operational meteorology, identifying extreme events and assessing associated risks, developing climate-informed early warning systems, planning, and research. Rainfall is the most widely available and used climate variable. Thus, measurement of rainfall is crucial to society’s well-being. In general, measurements from ground meteorological stations managed by National Meteorological Agencies are the principal sources of rainfall data. The main strength of the station observations is that they are assumed to give the “true” measurements of rainfall. However, the distribution of the meteorological observation network over Africa is significantly inadequate, with declining numbers of stations and poor data quality. This problem is compounded by the fact that the distribution of existing stations is uneven, with most weather stations located in cities and towns along major roads. As a result, coverage tends to be worse in rural areas, where livelihoods may be most vulnerable to climate variability and change. This has resulted in critical gaps in the provision of climate services where it is needed the most. Space-based measurements from satellites are being used as a complement to or in place of ground observations. Satellite-derived precipitation estimates offer good spatial coverage and improved temporal and spatial resolution, as well as near-real-time availability. Moreover, a range of satellite rainfall products are freely available from many sources, and a couple of these products are available only for Africa. However, satellite rainfall products also suffer from many shortcomings that include accuracy, particularly at higher temporal resolutions; coarse spatial resolution; short time series; and temporal inhomogeneity due to varying inputs. This limits the use of the use these products for certain applications. Understanding satellite rainfall estimation errors is critical for deciding which products might be used for specific applications and requires rigorous evaluation of these products using ground observations. The challenge in Africa is lack of availability, accessibility, and quality of rain-gauge observations that could be used for this purpose. Despite these challenges, there have been some validation efforts over different parts of the continent. However, different and inconsistent approaches of validation have created challenges to using these evaluation results. A comprehensive validation of the main operational satellite products at a continental level is needed to overcome these challenges and make the best use of satellite rainfall products in different applications.

scholarly journals Are smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate variability supported by climatological evidence? Case study of a semi-arid region in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 571-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maropene Tebello Rapholo ◽  
Lawrence Diko Makia
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Arid Region ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Linear Trend ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Semi Arid

Purpose Literature contends that not much is known about smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate variability and the impacts thereof on agricultural practices in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa in particular. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of smallholder farmers from Botlokwa (a semi-arid region in South Africa) on climate variability in relation to climatological evidence. Design/methodology/approach The study area is in proximity to a meteorological station and comprises mainly rural farmers, involved in rain-fed subsistence agriculture. Focus group discussions and closed-ended questionnaires covering demographics and perceptions were administered to 125 purposely sampled farmers. To assess farmers’ perceptions of climate variability, their responses were compared with linear trend and variability of historical temperature and rainfall data (1985-2015). Descriptive statistics were used to provide insights into respondents’ perceptions. Findings About 64% of the farmers perceived climate variability that was consistent with the meteorological data, whereas 36% either held contrary observations or were unable to discern. Age, level of education, farming experience and accessibility to information influenced the likelihood of farmers to correctly perceive climate variability. No significant differences in perception based on gender were observed. This study concludes that coping and adaption strategies of over one-third of the farmers could be negatively impacted by wrong perceptions of climate variability. Originality/value This study highlights discrepancies in perceptions among farmers with similar demographic characteristics. To guarantee sustainability of the sector, intervention by government and other key stakeholders to address underlying factors responsible for observed discrepancies is recommended.

CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CHANGE IN SOUTHERN MALI: LEARNING FROM FARMER PERCEPTIONS AND ON-FARM TRIALS

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
BOUBA TRAORE ◽  
MARK T. VAN WIJK ◽  
KATRIEN DESCHEEMAEKER ◽  
MARC CORBEELS ◽  
MARIANA C. RUFINO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Pennisetum Glaucum ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Mineral Fertilizer ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
On Farm

SUMMARYAgricultural production in the Sudano–Sahelian zone of west Africa is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and climate change. The present study aimed to understand farmers’ perceptions of climate variability and change and to evaluate adaptation options together with farmers, including tactical management of planting date in combination with the use of mineral fertilizer. Farmers perceived an increase in annual rainfall variability, an increase in the occurrence of dry spells during the rainy season, and an increase in temperature. Overall, this is in line with the observed meteorological data. Drought tolerant, short maturing crop varieties and appropriate planting dates were the commonly preferred adaptation strategies to deal with climate variability. On-farm trials confirmed that planting delays significantly reduce crop yields. The use of mineral fertilizer is often promoted, but risky for smallholders: although larger fertilizer applications increased the yield of maize (Zea mays) and millet (Pennisetum glaucum) significantly, a gross margin analysis indicated that it did not lead to more profit for all farmers. We conclude that integrating management of nutrients and planting time with improved farmer access to timely weather information, especially on the onset of the rains, is critical to enhancing adaptive capacity to increased climate variability and change.

scholarly journals Smallholder Farmers’ Livelihood Security Options amidst Climate Variability and Change in Rural Ghana

Scientifica ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sampson Yamba ◽  
Divine O. Appiah ◽  
Lawrencia Pokuaa-Siaw ◽  
Felix Asante
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Alternative Livelihood ◽  
Household Food

Farming as a livelihood activity in the Bosomtwe District is threatened by climate change. This paper ascertained the alternative livelihood options of smallholder farmers against climate variability and change in the Bosomtwe District. Using a cross-sectional survey, 152 smallholder farmers were sampled from 12 communities using a multistage sampling procedure. The quantitative data collected were subjected to binary logistic regression analysis, contingency tables, frequencies, and Nagelkerke tests of association, embedded in the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) v.17. The results indicate that farmers are resorting to alternative livelihood activities that are less capital intensive and require less skill in order to secure income and household food supply. Significant determinants of farmers’ alternative livelihood are age, household size, and household food supply, which were significant at p<.030, p<.019, and p<.012, respectively. At a 95% confidence interval (CI), these variables had lower to upper CIs for each of the EXP (B), respectively, at CI = 1.134–12.524, CI = 1.359–30.224, and CI = 1.781–104.561, respectively. The paper recommends that government institutes policies that will create opportunities and draw on various local/grassroots opportunities and resources to expand farmers’ asset base for sustainable livelihood strategies.

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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