Agricultural Livelihoods at Risk: Climate Change Impacts and Resilience Strategies in Eastern Zimbabwe

Abstract

Climate change is expected to exacerbate existing challenges facing smallholder farmers and create novel vulnerabilities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The vulnerability of smallholder farmers is compounded by their reliance on rain-fed agriculture and widespread poverty. The study employed a multi-methodological approach, incorporating questionnaires and observational methods, as well as an extensive literature review, to investigate agricultural livelihoods, climate change impacts on agriculture, and climate resilience adaptation strategies. The study’s demographic characteristics revealed a male-dominated sample, with ~60% of respondents having attended school from the secondary to tertiary level and 83% having access to extension services. The study findings indicate that climate change has significantly impacted agricultural livelihoods in eastern Zimbabwe, manifesting as drying of rivers and water scarcity, altered rainfall and temperature patterns, and reduced crop yields and deforestation, resulting in the loss of livestock, and human migration. The results suggest that climate change has diminished agricultural livelihoods, with increased impacts attributed to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall patterns. The study recommends the adoption of climate-resilient strategies, including water harvesting and storage, efficient irrigation schemes, cultivation of drought-tolerant crops and early warning systems. The diversification of on-farm income sources, proper livestock management, education and training, and climate-smart agriculture help mitigate the impacts of climate change on agriculture