Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Coping Strategies at Malindza, a Rural Semi-Arid Area in Swaziland

Mavuso, Siboniso M.; Manyatsi, Absalom M.; Vilane, B. R. T.

doi:10.11648/j.ajaf.20150303.14

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…More than 50% of the arable land in the country is used to grow cereal with a high of 70% in 2014. 3 According to Mavuso et al (2015), climate change has resulted in unreliable rainfall patterns, shifted crop growing seasons, and produced very high summer temperatures and dried wetlands. Mavuso et al (2015) also argued that an increase in food prices would likely cause lower-income net consumers to trade-off necessary nutritious food for lower cost and less nutritious food.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change and household welfare in sub-Saharan Africa: empirical evidence from Swaziland

2020

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The fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and several studies suggest that climate change is expected to increase food insecurity and poverty in many parts of the world. In this paper, we adopt a microeconometric approach to empirically estimate the impact of climate change-induced hikes in cereal prices on household welfare in Swaziland (also Kingdom of Eswatini). We do so first by econometrically estimating expenditure and price elasticities of five food groups consumed by households in Swaziland using the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS), based on data from the 2009/2010 Swaziland Household Income and Expenditure Survey. Second, we use the estimated expenditure and compensated elasticities from the AIDS model, food shares from the household survey, and food price projections developed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to estimate the proportionate increase in income required to maintain the level of household utility that would have prevailed absent an increase in food prices. Our results show increases in cereal prices due to climate change are expected to double extreme poverty in urban areas and increase poverty in rural areas of the country to staggering levels - between 71 and 75%, compared to 63% before the price changes. Income transfers of between 17.5 and 25.4% of pre-change expenditures are needed to avoid the welfare losses.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change and household welfare in sub-Saharan Africa: empirical evidence from Swaziland

2020

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“…In Eswatini, most rainfall is received in the form of convectional showers in summer i.e. between October and March [29], and that is when most of the maize production takes place. Rain-fed maize is grown in all agro-ecological zones of Eswatini, but mostly in the Highveld and Middleveld, when considering the area under maize production [30].…”

Section: Correlation Between Seasonal Rainfall and Maize Yieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the calculated t (Table 4) is greater than 2.048 at 28 degrees of freedom, resulting to a Pvalue of .000, the null hypothesis (H0) that "there is no significant relationship between seasonal rainfall variability and national maize yield" was rejected. Several researchers [37, 29,38,39] concur that food production (especially rain-fed) is significantly affected by the amount of rainfall received.…”

Section: Relationship Between Rainfall and Maize Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Rainfall Variability on Maize Production in Eswatini

Mkhwanazi,

Ndzinisa,

Sacolo

2024

CJAST

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Crop production is increasingly under threat as rainfall becomes more erratic and unreliable due to climate change. The rainy season in Eswatini is mainly between October and March, but a variation in the amount of rainfall, onset and cessation of rainfall season, and dry spells has been lately threatening rain-fed maize production. This study was meant to assess the degree of rainfall variability and its impacts on rain-fed maize production in Eswatini. Rainfall data for the years 1991-2021 from six weather stations representing the various agro-ecological zones in Eswatini was obtained from the Department of Meteorological Services. The degree of rainfall variability was then determined using the coefficient of variability (CV). Also determined was the relationship between rainfall and the maize production. This was done to determine how maize production responds to rainfall variability. Maize production data was obtained from the FAO online platform, FAOSTAT. Results from the study indicated that in Eswatini there is moderate to high rainfall variability. The Middleveld and Highveld had a year-to-year variability of 25% and 23%, respectively which is classified as moderate while the Lowveld had high variability of 34%. The seasonal rainfall was found to have a statistically significant relationship with nationwide maize production (in metric tonnes). The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) between seasonal rainfall and yield was found to be 0.68, which was tested and found to be significant (P<.05), indicating a significant positive correlation.

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“…29 Because of recurrent drought events, the devastation of limited rainfall has affected all sectors in the Lubombo region, which has forced the population to engage in and develop coping mechanisms as responses to their vulnerabilities and impact to drought. 30 Evidently, the implications of drought have a downstream effect that is dependent on the context and underlying population dynamics of the area. 9 The struggle of living in a drought-prone region has inevitably made men and women eager to devise methods for protecting themselves and their livelihoods.…”

Section: Problem Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

A gendered approach to drought-coping mechanisms: A case of the Lubombo region, Eswatini

Myeni

Wentink

2021

TDSA

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During periods of drought, coping mechanisms employed by society differ based on gender, and are related to socio-cultural implications. This study is premised on the gendered approach to drought-coping mechanisms by focusing on the manner in which communities undergoing drought adapt to the adversities experienced and thus employ gender-sensitive coping mechanisms. Socio-cultural implications emphasise and dictate the different gendered behaviour patterns within society. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine and evaluate gender-differentiated coping mechanisms of withstanding drought used by communities in the Lubombo region of Eswatini. The exploration of this phenomenon utilised a mixed-methods approach to collecting data. This universal approach involved adopting both qualitative and quantitative techniques of gathering information to help in an in-depth analysis of the situation in the Lubombo region. Under the umbrella of mixed methodology, an exploratory sequential approach was used to collect data. The purpose was to allow findings from a qualitative phase to be developed and tested for wider application and validation using a quantitative approach. The collection tools used under the qualitative enquiry included semi-structured interviews, face-to-face interviews and a focus group. The information gathered was subsequently presented in a thematic manner to draw attention on the dynamics within coping mechanisms. Two sampling techniques were used: initial stratified random sampling (representing the population being sampled) followed by purposive sampling to specify population characteristics and thus locating individuals who match the characteristics. There were 179 respondents in the study, of which 83 respondents were part of the focus group discussions and the remaining 80 respondents engaged in self-completion survey questions. The gender spectrum of the respondents was uneven during the focus groups with 39 females and 44 males. However, during the self-completion survey questions, an even number of 40 males and 40 females participated. The gender gap observed displayed women as burdened with developing various coping mechanisms, whereas men solely adapted through seeking employment. Women’s coping mechanisms included crop production, water management, foreign aid, sale of livestock and household functional change. In contrast, men’s coping mechanisms involved migration and seeking employment. The disparities between men and women were observed as founded in cultural beliefs and practices as women tool a domestic role whilst men were tasked to be providers. This perspective directly impacts on the lines of vulnerabilities during drought, declaring women as the target population for social aid such as food packages from foreign aid and strong social capital. Through this study, culture and vulnerability were identified as risk factors contributing to the impact of drought forcing men and women to build and engage in mechanisms to alleviate the adversities experienced. The major recommendation of this study is that drought-prone communities need to build gender-sensitive and gender-neutral coping mechanisms to withstand the adversities of drought.

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Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Coping Strategies at Malindza, a Rural Semi-Arid Area in Swaziland

Cited by 5 publications

References 5 publications

Climate change and household welfare in sub-Saharan Africa: empirical evidence from Swaziland

Climate change and household welfare in sub-Saharan Africa: empirical evidence from Swaziland

Effects of Rainfall Variability on Maize Production in Eswatini

A gendered approach to drought-coping mechanisms: A case of the Lubombo region, Eswatini

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