DOI: 10.1016/j.crm.2014.05.004
Scopus记录号: 2-s2.0-84906778111
论文题名: Sources of vulnerability to a variable and changing climate among smallholder households in Zimbabwe: A participatory analysis
作者: Rurinda J. ; Mapfumo P. ; van Wijk M.T. ; Mtambanengwe F. ; Rufino M.C. ; Chikowo R. ; Giller K.E.
刊名: Climate Risk Management
ISSN: 22120963
出版年: 2014
卷: 3 起始页码: 65
结束页码: 78
语种: 英语
英文关键词: Adaptation options
; Extreme temperatures
; Farmer resource endowment
; Increased droughts
; Increased rainfall variability
; Vulnerability
英文摘要: Vulnerability analysis is essential for targeting adaptation options to impacts of climate variability and change, particularly in diverse systems with limited resources such as smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa. To investigate the nature and sources of vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate variability and change, we analysed long term climate data and interviewed farmers individually and in groups in Makoni and Hwedza districts in eastern Zimbabwe. Farmers' perceptions of changes in climate characteristics matched the recorded data. Total seasonal rainfall has not changed, but variability in the rainfall distribution within seasons has increased. The mean daily minimum temperature increased by 0.2. °C per decade in both Makoni and Hwedza. The mean daily maximum temperature increased by 0.5. °C per decade in Hwedza. The number of days with temperatures >30. °C also increased in Hwedza. Farmers indicated that livestock production was sensitive to drought due to lack of feed, affecting resource-endowed farmers, who own relatively large herds of cattle. Crop production was more sensitive to increased rainfall variability, largely affecting farmers with intermediate resource endowment. Availability of wild fruits and social safety nets were affected directly and indirectly by extreme temperatures and increased rainfall variability, impacting on the livelihoods of resource-constrained farmers. There was no evidence of a simple one-to-one relationship between vulnerability and farmer resource endowment, suggesting that vulnerability to climate variability and change is complex and not simply related to assets. Alongside climate variability and change, farmers were also faced with biophysical and socioeconomic challenges such as lack of fertilizers, and these problems had strong interactions with adaptation options to climate change. Diversifying crops and cultivars, staggering planting date and managing soil fertility were identified as the major adaptation options to stabilize yields against increased rainfall variability. There is need to evaluate the identified adaptation options on farm and with the participation of farmers to provide empirical evidence on the best options for different households. © 2014 The Authors. Citation statistics:
资源类型: 期刊论文
标识符: http://119.78.100.158/handle/2HF3EXSE/59061
Appears in Collections: 气候变化与战略
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作者单位: Plant Production Systems, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 430, 6700AK Wageningen, Netherlands; Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; Soil Fertility Consortium for Southern Africa (SOFECSA), University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 30677, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Recommended Citation:
Rurinda J.,Mapfumo P.,van Wijk M.T.,et al. Sources of vulnerability to a variable and changing climate among smallholder households in Zimbabwe: A participatory analysis[J]. Climate Risk Management,2014-01-01,3