- Title
- Climate change and food security in Zimbabwe: a case of small-scale farmers in Mtambi ward, Zvishavane district
- Creator
- Mugiya, Davidson
- Subject
- Climatic changes -- Zimbabwe
- Subject
- Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe
- Subject
- Food security -- Zimbabwe
- Date
- 2012
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/29278
- Identifier
- vital:77711
- Description
- The issue of climate change has recently gained much momentum particularly in marginalised regions and its impact threatens to deepen, making the future of agriculture bleak without adaptation. Agriculture might be further trampled as the sector`s performance heavily depends on the climatic condition. This situation makes small-scale farmers who mostly depend on rain-fed agriculture more vulnerable, creating a cycle of food insecurity. As the impact of climate change threatens to intensify, it has been realised that adaptation is no longer an option but an essential as the effects are detrimental particularly to small-scale farmers.Thus, the central objective of the study was to explore the impact of climate change on food security and factors affecting adaptation among small-scale farmers in Mtambi ward, Zvishavane District. The study adopts the Food Systems Theory and the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach as analytical frameworks to explain the interaction between small-scale farmers and environmental shocks in the context of food security. A qualitative method is adopted to get a comprehensive depiction of the plight of small-scale farmers in the background of climate change and food security. The perception and innermost feelings of this vulnerable group was viewed as critical units of analysis. This study shows that climate change is negatively affecting food security among small-scale farmers and further compromises their ability to cope with the stress. The study argues that climate change has affected all determinants of food security notably food availability, accessibility and utilisation. This situation had far reaching implications for adaptation as farmers depend on their on-farm production for both consumption and income which further compromises their purchasing power on the market. Small-scale farmers are at the dilemma of coping with climate change for the achievement of food security without clear-cut aid channelled to them. Resource constrains, credit and inputs aid bottlenecks, coupled with contradiction of programs among other critical issues making adaptation difficult among-small scale farmers. Drawing from the findings, the study recommends that the government should embark on mutual partnerships with NGOs and other significant stake-holders for the best interests of small-scale farmers. This remains a critical condition for agriculture development in general and food insecurity eradication in particular for the benefit of affected groups.
- Description
- Thesis (MSoc. Sci) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2012
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (x, 136 leaves)
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Language
- English
- Rights
- rights holder
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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- Visitors: 5
- Downloads: 2
Collections
UFH Department of Development Studies
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details | SOURCE1 | Davison Mugiya Research (ii) (2).pdf | 932 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details |