Farmers' Perceptions from South-West, Semi-Arid Zimba

Jàmbá - Journal of Disaster Risk Studies ISSN: (Online) 1996-1421, (Print) 2072-845X Page 1 of 19 Original Research Impact of climate change and variability on traditional farming systems: Farmers’ perceptions from south-west, semi-arid Zimbabwe Authors: Despite annual climate variability threats, traditional farming in semi-arid Zimbabwe 1,2 Everson Ndlovu remains entrenched in unproductive, rain-fed agricultural practices. Adaptation strategies Barend Prinsloo3 Tanya le Roux4 by farmers are seemingly failing to mitigate climate impacts, as evidenced by annual crop and livestock losses. Matabeleland South Province was a thriving livestock and small Affiliations: grain-producing province in the 1970s. Today, the province relies heavily on humanitarian 1 Institute of Development assistance from government and humanitarian agencies. Through literature review, Studies, National University of Science and Technology, observations and focus group discussions with 129 farmers, the qualitative study Bulawayo, Zimbabwe established the perceptions of farmers around climate variability impacts in the past 20 years in Mangwe, Matobo and Gwanda districts in Zimbabwe. The study (1) analysed 2 Unit for Environmental changes in climate and weather patterns in the past 20 years; (2) analysed climate impacts Sciences and Management, African Centre for Disaster on traditional farming systems in the past 20 years in Gwanda, Mangwe and Matobo Studies, North-West districts in Zimbabwe; and (3) established farmers’ perceptions, experiences and their University, Potchefstroom, climate adaptive strategies. The findings showed that the farmers experienced annual heat South Africa waves, protracted droughts, chaotic rain seasons, frost and floods, which led to environmental degradation. Traditional farming systems or practices have been abandoned 3Department of Security Studies and Management, in favour of buying and selling and gold panning, among other alternative livelihood North-West University, options, because of climate-related threats and misconceptions around the subject of Potchefstroom, South Africa climate change. Farmers fail to access timely and comprehensive weather forecasts, resulting in annual crop and livestock losses, as decision-making is compromised. Given 4Communication and that the smallholder farming system sustains the bulk of the population in Matabeleland Journalism Department, Bournemouth University, South Province in Zimbabwe, climate education and capital investment is needed to change Bournemouth, United traditional farmer perceptions about climate change impacts on the farming practices. Kingdom Increased climate awareness initiatives, establishment of village-based weather stations Corresponding author: and the marrying of traditional farming climate knowledge to modern practices are highly Everson Ndlovu, recommended to enhance resilience to climate. [email protected] Keywords: climate change; traditional farming systems; perceptions; resilience; climate Dates: adaptation. Received: 24 Aug. 2018 Accepted: 29 May 2020 Published: 21 Sept. 2020 Introduction How to cite this article: Shifting climatic conditions in Africa have dramatic impacts on the livelihoods and food security Ndlovu, E., Prinsloo, B. & Le Roux, T., 2020, ‘Impact of of farmers who remain reliant on rain-fed agriculture (FAO 2006, 2007). Poverty, food insecurity, climate change and variability water scarcity and environmental degradation characterise arid Southern Africa, including on traditional farming Zimbabwe (Wani, Rockstrom & Oweis 2009). In Zimbabwe, 37% of the country receives adequate systems: Farmers’ rainfall for rain-fed agriculture, yet as much as 90 of the population is dependent on this perceptions from south-west, % semi-arid Zimbabwe’, Jàmbá: practice (FAO 2006; Unganai & Murwira 2010). For centuries, rain-fed agriculture has not only Journal of Disaster Risk sustained food security for many Zimbabweans, but it has also contributed immensely to the Studies 12(1), a742. https:// country’s industrialisation. However, prolonged droughts and other shocks resulting from doi.org/10.4102/jamba. v12i1.742 climate change and variability have impacted heavily on traditional farming practices such as extensive cattle ranching, semi-pastoralism, cultivating of rain-fed crops like maize, millet and sorghum, crop rotation and intercropping, minimum or no usage of commercial inputs like fertilisers and hybrid seed, and farmers cultivating their own seed, especially in the semi-arid districts of Gwanda, Matobo and Mangwe. The three districts studied have been experiencing Read online: the problem of food insecurity almost on a yearly basis and have lost a considerable number of Scan this QR code with your livestock over the years because of climate-related disasters, such as droughts, pests and diseases. smart phone or mobile device Prolonged food insecurity in the districts has attracted the perennial presence of humanitarian to read online. Copyright: © 2020. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. http://www.jamba.org.za Open Access Page 2 of 19 Original Research agencies running food aid programmes in the past 15 years. districts, experience aridity, with unreliable rainfall of It is the continuous presence of humanitarian agencies, between 250 mm and 500 mm per annum (USAID 2015). This which has tended to indirectly promote a dependency amount of rainfall is too low to sustain traditional rain-fed syndrome amongst farmers and their dependents in these farming practices such as mixed farming. Climate variability districts that motivated this study. and change pose protracted challenges to the productivity of traditional farming practices in the semi-arid districts of Agricultural production in the past two decades (1990–2010) Mangwe, Matobo and Gwanda in Matabeleland South in Matabeleland South Province has been constrained by Province in Zimbabwe. Subsistence or smallholder farmers, water scarcity resulting from climate change (Musarurwa & dependent on rain-fed agriculture, have misconceptions Lunga 2012). Changing rainfall patterns, frequent droughts about climate change and its impacts on their extensive and flash floods continue to adversely affect both livestock livestock and crop production practices, as the majority and crop yields. Projected climate impacts on agriculture in believe that the protracted drought, heat waves, frost and Southern Africa are that the productivity of dry land farming, floods are an ‘act of God’. Thus, farmers in the three districts will be hardest hit (Kurukulasuriya et al. 2006). Dry-land are distancing themselves from doing something about their farming yields are projected to decline by 20% – 50% by situation. In the process, the vulnerable farmers continue to 2050 (IPCC 2007b). Given that more than 90% of dry-land lose their livestock, and their crop harvests dwindle on a smallholder farmers in the study districts are dependent on yearly basis. The impacts have been devastating to both rain-fed agriculture, projections are that climate change extensive livestock production and cropping practices in the impacts could be devastating for the farmers if effective districts, resulting in the depletion of household assets, climate-smart adaptation interventions are not embraced increased food insecurity, increased levels of poverty and (Unganai & Murwira 2010). worsening vulnerabilities in rural areas. The continued presence of humanitarian agencies in Mangwe, Matobo and Smallholder farmer production in semi-arid Zimbabwe Gwanda districts points to a dependency syndrome on the constitutes 90% of all agricultural activities (Unganai & part of the farmers and their families. Many a farmer has Murwira 2010). Farmers involved in rain-fed agricultural abandoned cropping, knowing fully well that donor-funded activities are in the majority of ‘traditional agriculturalists’ humanitarian organisations will intervene through food aid who still practise semi-pastoralism and extensive livestock or that the government will distribute agricultural inputs. production, cultivate maize, millet, sorghum and groundnuts This is further evidence of low capacities and poor climate during the rainy season and plant only for family early warning systems. Compounding the challenges in the consumption. The production practices in this sector (mixed districts are information gaps in terms of climate threats and farming) are aimed at sustaining families, with little surplus poor adaptive and mitigation strategies. Poor climate early for sale. Although productivity varies from place to place, warning systems mean that farmers fail to make informed dry-land farming remains the major source of livelihood for decisions for both their livestock and cropping practices, many of the vulnerable farmers in semi-arid Zimbabwe resulting in poor or low climate-adaptive capacities. Farmers (Kahinda et al. 2007). The potential for traditional agriculture still maintain high livestock densities in spite of the dwindling has been constrained by climate variability, particularly in pastures. On the cropping side, famers still plant the water- Matabeleland South Province (IPCC 2014; Tshuma & loving maize seed instead of drought-tolerant seed varieties Mathuthu 2014). As such, future smallholder agricultural (Christian Care, 2009; Care International, 2009). productivity in the province in particular, and Zimbabwe in general, is likely to suffer (UN-OCHA 2015). Review of related literature This

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