Climate Change in Zimbabwe: Perceptions of Smallholder Farmers in Mangwe District

Abstract

Agriculture forms the bases of livelihoods for many rural folks in Zimbabwe. Rain-fed agriculture has been adversely affected by climate change. This paper raises the importance of considering the smallholder farmers' perception on climate change as it affects their decision making when adopting adaptation strategies. The study was carried out in Mangwe and it showed that farmers perceived climate to have changed over the past two decades, as indicated by erratic rainfall patterns, decrease in rainfall amounts, increase in temperatures, seasonal shifts and increased frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events. These changes have grossly affected agricultural productivity in both crops and livestock. Evidence from climate data buttresses the farmers' perceptions as they show a decline in rainfall amount and temperature increase over the past decades. The study further shows that majority of farmers do not clearly understand the major causes of climate change.