MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
SECTION 4.0
THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON LIVELIHOODS
Farmers in Zimbabwe are facing a range of problems.
Ask participants to identify some of the problems farmers are facing. List their
suggestions on a flip chart.
The complete slideshow can be found in Appendix 2
The following problems were identified at an earlier workshop:
SLIDE – Problems farmers are facing
• Delayed onset of rains, poor distribution, intensity
• Increased length & frequency of mid-season drought
• Increase in temperature
• Reduced yields
• Increased runoff and erosion
• Leaching of nutrients
• Heat stress of livestock -> reduced yields, mortality
• Increased costs of production
Discuss possible causes of the identified problems
Many of these changes were said to have been caused by Climate Change.
These opinions are largely based on farmers‟ perceptions, backed by the press.
Many of these problems are more likely to be due to other factors such as
population increases leading to farming of more marginal lands, degradation of
lands due to deforestation, and over-grazing, people living in more exposed or
previously uninhabited areas, poor land management, shortage of inputs and
others.
A Training Manual on Use of Climate Information and Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment for
Agricultural Extension Staff in Zimbabwe
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