Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Small Holder Farmers: A Case of Nyanga District in Zimbabwe
Climate change encompassing mostly hydro-meteorological hazards is a reality affecting the world in diverse ways. It is manifesting in various ways such as increases in frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures. In recent years, climate change has induced droughts, other...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Climate |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2021.676495/full |
| _version_ | 1818584735575703552 |
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| author | Terence Darlington Mushore Terence Darlington Mushore Teddious Mhizha Moven Manjowe Linia Mashawi Electdom Matandirotya Emmanuel Mashonjowa Collen Mutasa Juliet Gwenzi George Tawanda Mushambi |
| author_facet | Terence Darlington Mushore Terence Darlington Mushore Teddious Mhizha Moven Manjowe Linia Mashawi Electdom Matandirotya Emmanuel Mashonjowa Collen Mutasa Juliet Gwenzi George Tawanda Mushambi |
| author_sort | Terence Darlington Mushore |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change encompassing mostly hydro-meteorological hazards is a reality affecting the world in diverse ways. It is manifesting in various ways such as increases in frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures. In recent years, climate change has induced droughts, other extreme weather events and meteorological disasters in many countries including Zimbabwe. Effective management of climate change induced challenges require localized strategies which may vary from one part of the world to another and even within a country. In view of the need to understand localized impacts and responses to climate change, the main objectives of the study were to (i) assess the impact of climate change on livelihoods and food security, (ii) identify and evaluate adaptation and mitigation strategies that small holder farmers in Ward 17, Nyanga, Zimbabwe have developed. The research used both qualitative and quantitative approaches with data collection methods comprising of questionnaires (56), observations and interviews (8). The tools were used to gather information which included encounters with extreme weather events, climatic trends as well as adaptive responses. The findings showed that climate change had a significant negative impact on the livelihoods and food security status of small holder farmers in ward 17 of Nyanga district. The identified climate change adaptation strategies implemented in the study area included food aid, use of traditional grains and other drought resistant crops, early planting, multiple planting, barter trade and livelihood diversification. The mitigation strategies used included afforestation and reforestation programs, avoiding veld fires and preservation of wetlands. The research identified challenges to climate change adaptation which include lack of markets to sell farming produce, inefficient institutions, poverty and high climate variability and increased uncertainty in the behavior of seasons. The findings of this study indicated the need for similar assessment in other parts of the country as impacts of climate change and responses thereof should vary from place to place. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T08:25:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a882e878a44479481180628e9e2f3d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9553 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T08:25:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Climate |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a882e878a44479481180628e9e2f3d62022-12-21T22:37:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Climate2624-95532021-08-01310.3389/fclim.2021.676495676495Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Small Holder Farmers: A Case of Nyanga District in ZimbabweTerence Darlington Mushore0Terence Darlington Mushore1Teddious Mhizha2Moven Manjowe3Linia Mashawi4Electdom Matandirotya5Emmanuel Mashonjowa6Collen Mutasa7Juliet Gwenzi8George Tawanda Mushambi9Department of Space Science and Applied Physics, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, ZimbabweDiscipline of Geography, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South AfricaDepartment of Space Science and Applied Physics, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, ZimbabweDepartment of Space Science and Applied Physics, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, ZimbabweMeteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe, Corner Bishop Gaul/Hudson, Harare, ZimbabweDepartment of Space Science and Applied Physics, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, ZimbabweDepartment of Space Science and Applied Physics, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, ZimbabweDepartment of Space Science and Applied Physics, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, ZimbabweDepartment of Space Science and Applied Physics, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, ZimbabweGeography Department, Bindura University of Science Education, Bindura, ZimbabweClimate change encompassing mostly hydro-meteorological hazards is a reality affecting the world in diverse ways. It is manifesting in various ways such as increases in frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures. In recent years, climate change has induced droughts, other extreme weather events and meteorological disasters in many countries including Zimbabwe. Effective management of climate change induced challenges require localized strategies which may vary from one part of the world to another and even within a country. In view of the need to understand localized impacts and responses to climate change, the main objectives of the study were to (i) assess the impact of climate change on livelihoods and food security, (ii) identify and evaluate adaptation and mitigation strategies that small holder farmers in Ward 17, Nyanga, Zimbabwe have developed. The research used both qualitative and quantitative approaches with data collection methods comprising of questionnaires (56), observations and interviews (8). The tools were used to gather information which included encounters with extreme weather events, climatic trends as well as adaptive responses. The findings showed that climate change had a significant negative impact on the livelihoods and food security status of small holder farmers in ward 17 of Nyanga district. The identified climate change adaptation strategies implemented in the study area included food aid, use of traditional grains and other drought resistant crops, early planting, multiple planting, barter trade and livelihood diversification. The mitigation strategies used included afforestation and reforestation programs, avoiding veld fires and preservation of wetlands. The research identified challenges to climate change adaptation which include lack of markets to sell farming produce, inefficient institutions, poverty and high climate variability and increased uncertainty in the behavior of seasons. The findings of this study indicated the need for similar assessment in other parts of the country as impacts of climate change and responses thereof should vary from place to place.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2021.676495/fullclimate changeNyanga districtrainfallagriculturemitigationZimbabwe |
| spellingShingle | Terence Darlington Mushore Terence Darlington Mushore Teddious Mhizha Moven Manjowe Linia Mashawi Electdom Matandirotya Emmanuel Mashonjowa Collen Mutasa Juliet Gwenzi George Tawanda Mushambi Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Small Holder Farmers: A Case of Nyanga District in Zimbabwe Frontiers in Climate climate change Nyanga district rainfall agriculture mitigation Zimbabwe |
| title | Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Small Holder Farmers: A Case of Nyanga District in Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Small Holder Farmers: A Case of Nyanga District in Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Small Holder Farmers: A Case of Nyanga District in Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Small Holder Farmers: A Case of Nyanga District in Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Small Holder Farmers: A Case of Nyanga District in Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for small holder farmers a case of nyanga district in zimbabwe |
| topic | climate change Nyanga district rainfall agriculture mitigation Zimbabwe |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2021.676495/full |
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