Agricultural communities adapting to climate change

« 4 per 1000 » Africa Symposium
Johannesburg, 24-26th October 2018
With the support of
Agriculture Communities Adapting to Climate
Change
Ntombizakhe Mlilo
ORAP- Amalima Project, Zimbabwe
With the support ofNAME

With the support of
Where we work in Zimbabwe
• Matabeleland
North and South,
Midlands
• Arid, semi arid

With the support of
The agriculture communities
Communal farmers
• household crop fields
• Communal agricultural production assets
• Grazing land
• Water sources
• Dip tanks
• Both individual and communal approaches to
adaptation to climate change

With the support of
Climate Change challenges
• Frequent droughts
• Erratic rains, mid-season dry spells
• Floods or very wet spells (waterlogging)
• Very high day temperatures

With the support of
Climate Impacts
• Direct effects on soils
• Direct effects on rain-fed crops, pastures
• Indirect effects – disease outbreaks
• Food, nutrition and income insecurity

With the support of
Why Adaptation
• Affects food systems
• Short-term volatility
• Medium term yield losses and increasing cost structures
• Long term production collapse – food aid
• Affects food companies
• Short term volatility
• Medium term increasing cost structures
• Long term disappearance of supply chains

With the support of
Adapting Crop Prod. Practices
1. Change planting season
2. Stagger planting
3. Match genotype and environment
• Drought tolerant small grains (e.g. sorghum)
• Ultra short season maize varieties
4. Diversification of crops
5. Integrated pest management

With the support of
Amalima Project

With the support of
Soil and water conservation techniques

With the support of
Adapting Livestock Prod Practices
Use of indigenous breeds,
crossbreeding
Amalima Project

With the support of
• Supplementary feed
• fodder production
• home-made mixes/ licks
• stockfeed purchases
• pen-fattening
• Grazing land rehabilitation

With the support of
Water sources – dams, boreholes
Amalima Project

With the support of
Disease control
• rehabilitation of dipping facilities
• Train community animal health workers

With the support of
Socio-cultural Adaptation
Community mobilisation
• Forming work groups – labour support to beat short rain
season
• Local institutions (committees) - e.g. information
sharing on weather and markets
• Youth involvement, gender, local leadership

With the support of
Amalima Project

With the support of
Socio-cultural Adaptation
• Communication
• Early warning systems
• Electronic communication – radios, whatsapp
• Negotiation skills
• By-laws e.g. cutting down of trees

With the support of
Economic Adaptation
• Farming as a business, value addition, income
• Private sector in rural areas: production, suppliers,
processing, financing, marketing
• Alternative sources of income – less dependence on
agriculture
• Local financing of agric production (VS&L)
• Improve prod assets, services and demand services
• Govnt: policies, services, national programs, funding,
facilitation

With the support of
Successes and challenges

With the support of
increased adoption of adapted small grains BUT
Labour requirements for small grains
Amalima Project

With the support of
Improved production/ productivity BUT
• Dryland crops affected by droughts
• Irrigated crops and pests
• Land degradation
Amalima Project

With the support of
Links to markets, increased income BUT
Efficiency of markets (information)
Amalima Project

With the support of
• Social behaviour change and communication
• Availability and affordability of food
• Diversity of food
• Post-harvest handling, losses, food safety
• Stunting rates:
2010 NNS 2018 NNS
National 33.8 26.2
Gwanda 24.7 17.8
Tsholotsho 37.4 24.7
Bulilima 28.6 27.9
Mangwe 29.2 26.2

With the support of
Bare ground

With the support of
silted rivers

With the support of
Conclusion
• Climate Change now widely discussed
• CC effects have been accumulative and adaptation
has to be “incremental” or evolve
• Agricultural communities need to be more visible in
Climate Change discussions
• Climate Change is complex and integrated approach
needed – soils, production,
income, human nutrition

With the support of
Thank You, Siyabonga

Agricultural communities adapting to climate change

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