The response of farmers to the drought hazard in the Karoo environment

Myburgh, Dean

doi:10.1007/bf00806423

Cited by 10 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…2 Adaptation to drought is described as a longer-term response that involves considerable change in lifestyles and livelihoods. 2,9,10 Additionally, there is a spatial dimension relating to the mechanisms of response to drought. These mechanisms can be through endurance or evasion, and are sometimes coupled with drought prediction.…”

Section: Responses and Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Herds are also manipulated, typically reducing stock numbers to minimise the impact on vegetation. 10 This has been described as the best means of preserving ecosystem functioning and aiding recovery after drought. 8 Reducing stock numbers, through sales or slaughter, to meet drought-driven declines in grazing capacity has the same relative effect on grazing resources as increasing land area of a farm.…”

Section: Enduring Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the strategy of reducing stock numbers is unpopular because stock is expensive to replace and because banks regard livestock as collateral for determining increases in the magnitude of loans granted to farmers. 10 Drastic reductions in stock numbers place additional risks on farmers, for example, remaining livestock may be less genetically suitable to drought conditions compared with those sold off.…”

Section: Enduring Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other livestock management responses for enduring drought include improving the quality of livestock while reducing quantity, switching to hardier breeds, or changing ratios of animal types. 10 For example karakul, afrikaner, damara and dorper sheep are considered better drought adapted than angora goats and merino sheep. 8,10 Similarly goats are generally considered more drought-hardy than sheep and farmers adjust the composition of their herds as a means of reducing possible livestock losses.…”

Section: Enduring Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…10 For example karakul, afrikaner, damara and dorper sheep are considered better drought adapted than angora goats and merino sheep. 8,10 Similarly goats are generally considered more drought-hardy than sheep and farmers adjust the composition of their herds as a means of reducing possible livestock losses. 8,11 While water requirements for sheep rise considerably with a rise in temperature, goats get most of their water requirements from forage.…”

Section: Enduring Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Human response and adaptation to drought in the arid zone: lessons from southern Africa

O'Farrell¹,

Anderson

Milton³

et al. 2009

S. Afr. J. Sci

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Human adaptation and response to drought is primarily through evasion or endurance. A review of historical agricultural practices in southern Africa demonstrates evidence of drought evasion response strategies in well-established transhumance routes, where herders move livestock on a seasonal basis in order to exploit resources subject to different climatic regimes. European settlers to the arid regions of South Africa quickly recognised the necessity of these evasion options to survive drought, and adopted the transhumance practices of indigenous farmers. Areas of geographically diverse resource bases became hotly contested by settlers and indigenous farmers. The success of evasion systems are shown to hinge on good social and institutional support structures. When movement is not an option, drought endurance is pursued by attempting to limit the damage to the natural resource base. This is through a number of means such as forage conservation, varying livestock types and numbers, water and soil conservation and taking up alternative livelihood options. State responses to drought over the last century reflect the general South African pattern of racially divided and unjust policies relating to resource access. Historically the state provided considerable support to white commercial farmers. This support was frequently contradictory in its aims and generally was inadequate to enable farmers to cope with drought. Since the advent of democracy in 1994, the state has intervened less, with some support extended to previously disadvantaged and poor communal farmers. Climate change predictions suggest an increase in drought, suggesting that the adoption of mitigating strategies should be a matter of urgency. To do this South Africa needs to build social and institutional capacity, strive for better economic and environmental sustainability, embed drought-coping mechanisms into land restitution policy to ensure the success of this programme, and acknowledge the diversity of the agricultural sector.

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Section: Responses and Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Enduring Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Enduring Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Enduring Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Enduring Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Human response and adaptation to drought in the arid zone: lessons from southern Africa

O'Farrell¹,

Anderson

Milton³

et al. 2009

S. Afr. J. Sci

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Human perceptions of environmental degradation in a part of the Kalahari ecosystem

Chanda

1996

GeoJournal

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This paper is based on data on human perceptions of environmental degradation generated using the rapid rural appraisal approach in a part of Botswana's Kalahari environment. The data revealed a high level of respondent awareness of local resource use problems related to negative environmental change. However, respondent perceptions of the causes of, and solutions to, to environmental degradation were found to be mainly outward oriented; the possibility of local human contribution to the problem and its solution was widely down-played. The data point to the need for measures to bring about "correct" perceptions so that people can see where their own activities fit in the causal nexus of environmental degradation and acknowledge their power to contribute to solutions thereof.

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Environmental change in the mid-Boteti area of north-central Botswana: Biophysical processes and human perceptions

Ringrose

Chanda

Nkambwe

et al. 1996

Environmental Management

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Increased interest in environmental change issues has led researchers to consider more integrated approaches to change dynamics. This paper examines change in terms of land degradation in north-central Botswana from both biophysical and human perspectives. Although seasonal and periodic droughts were prevalent, analysis of rainfall data over the past 70 years revealed no downward trend. However, indicators of declining productivity such as soil erosion, loss of vegetation cover, and a declining groundwater table were amply evident. The GIS analysis of remotely sensed data has shown that complete vegetation recovery after drought is not taking place, particularly in the south-central part of the study area. These areas contained the highest human and livestock population densities. The local people acknowledged facing increasing resource depletion and indicated drought as the main cause. Pressures on available resources, particularly during drought periods, appeared to have impeded the regenerative capacity of the natural vegetation cover, thereby inducing land degradation. This situation may not easily be rectified because of widespread poverty and inappropriate local perceptions of the solutions. Both of these hinder the adoption of sustainable land management.

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The response of farmers to the drought hazard in the Karoo environment

Cited by 10 publications

References 16 publications

Human response and adaptation to drought in the arid zone: lessons from southern Africa

Human response and adaptation to drought in the arid zone: lessons from southern Africa

Human perceptions of environmental degradation in a part of the Kalahari ecosystem

Environmental change in the mid-Boteti area of north-central Botswana: Biophysical processes and human perceptions

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