CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY: SMALLHOLDER FARMING COMMUNITIES IN ZIMBABWE PORTRAY A VARIED UNDERSTANDING

Increasing awareness of risks associated with climate change and variability among smallholder farmers is critical in building their capacity to develop the necessary adaptive measures. Using farmer participatory research approaches and formal questionnaire surveys, interaction has been made with >800 farmers in two distinct smallholder farming systems of Makoni and Wedza Districts in eastern Zimbabwe to determine the current level of understanding of climate change and variability, current responses to perceived changes, as well as identify sources of agro-meteorological information. The results indicated that farmers portrayed a varied understanding both within and across the study sites. While poor rainfall distribution was seen as the major indicator for climate change by over two-thirds of the respondents in both sites, more farmers in Makoni attributed delay in onset of rains, high incidences of flush floods and unpredictable \u2018wind movements\u2019 yielding cyclones to climate change. In Wedza, it was recurrent droughts, winter and summer temperature extremes, and increased pest and disease incidences for both crops and livestock that indicated climate change. Perceived changes were linked more to natural and human forces (Makoni), unknown forces as well as breakdown in cultural norms and beliefs and rise of Christianity (Wedza). Disparities between the two sites could be attributed to the inherent differences of the communities in terms to their social settings. The national extension, Agritex, was ranked first by 50-60% of the farmers as major source of weather information. Electronic media (radio and television) ranked second with 47% of farmers in Makoni and 35% in Wedza. Concerns were raised over inadequacies of such information, apparent lack of reliability, timing and frequency of dissemination that directly influenced the utilisation of the information. Common coping strategies included early planting which was the more prevalent in Makoni, while combinations of cereals and legumes were a preferred solution in Wedza. We concluded that farmers\u2019 interaction with various information sources and knowledge sharing platforms needs to be enhanced in order to deepen their understanding as well as increase their capacity to respond to pressures of climate variability and change.L\u2019am\ue9lioration des connaissances des petits fermiers sur les risques lies au changement du climat et sa variabilit\ue9 est un fait important pour l\u2019\ue9dification de leur capacit\ue9 de d\ue9velopper des mesures n\ue9cessaires d\u2019adaptation. En utilisant des m\ue9thodes de recherche participative et un questionnaire d\u2019enqu\ueate formelle, l\u2019interaction a \ue9t\ue9 faite avec plus de 800 fermiers de deux syst\ue8mes d\u2019exploitation distincts de districts de Makoni et Wedza \ue0 l\u2019Est du Zimbabwe, afin de d\ue9terminer le niveau actuel de compr\ue9hension du changement du climat et sa variabilit\ue9, les m\ue9canismes d\u2019adaptation aux changements per\ue7us, ainsi qu\u2019identifier les sources d\u2019information agro m\ue9t\ue9orologique. Les r\ue9sultats ont indiqu\ue9 que les fermiers avaient un niveau vari\ue9 de compr\ue9hension dans les deux sites d\u2019\ue9tude.Alors qu\u2019une faible distribution des pr\ue9cipitations \ue9tait consid\ue9r\ue9e comme \ue9tant l\u2019indicateur majeur du changement du climat par plus de 2/3 des r\ue9pondants dans les deux sites, la plupart des fermiers de Makoni ont affirm\ue9 que le retard dans l\u2019apparition des pluies, incidence \ue9lev\ue9e des inondations et mouvement du vent impr\ue9dictible r\ue9sultant du cyclone par le changement du climat. En Wedza, le changement du climat \ue9tait manifest\ue9 \ue0 travers les s\ue9cheresses r\ue9currentes, des temp\ue9ratures extr\ueames pendant l\u2019hiver et l\u2019\ue9t\ue9 ainsi que l\u2019accroissement d\u2019incidences de pestes et maladies affectant des cultures et le b\ue9tail. Les changements per\ue7us \ue9taient plus li\ue9s aux forces naturelles et humaines (Makoni), des forces inconnues aussi bien que la non-observance des normes culturales et les croyances et le d\ue9veloppement de la chr\ue9tient\ue9 (Wedza). Les disparit\ue9s entre les deux sites pourraient \ueatre attribu\ue9es aux diff\ue9rences inh\ue9rentes des deux communaut\ue9s en termes de leurs environnements sociaux. La vulgarisation nationale, Agritex, \ue9tait rang\ue9e la premi\ue8re par 50-60% des fermiers comme source majeur de l\u2019information sur le climat suivi du media \ue9lectronique (radio et t\ue9l\ue9vision) avec 47% des fermiers dans Makoni et 35% dans Wedza. Les probl\ue8mes \ue9voqu\ue9s \ue9taient li\ue9s au manque de consistance de l\u2019information, manque apparent de fiabilit\ue9, le temps et la fr\ue9quence de diss\ue9mination qui directement influencent l\u2019utilisation de l\u2019information. Les strat\ue9gies communes d\u2019adaptation consistaient en la plantation \ue0 temps sp\ue9cialement dans Makoni, pendant que les combinaisons des c\ue9r\ue9ales et des l\ue9gumes \ue9taient une solution pr\ue9f\ue9r\ue9e en Wedza. En conclusion, l\u2019interaction des fermiers avec des sources vari\ue9es d\u2019information et les plateformes de partage de connaissance ont besoin d\u2019\ueatre d\ue9velopp\ue9e afin d\u2019am\ue9liorer leur niveau de compr\ue9hension aussi bien renforcer leur capacit\ue9 \ue0 r\ue9pondre aux pressions du changement du climat et sa variabilit\ue9

Zimbabwe : mobilizing local safety nets for enhanced adaptive capacity to climate change and variability in Zimbabwe

French version available in IDRC Digital Library: Zimbabwe : mobiliser les filets de sécurité locaux pour améliorer la capacité d'adaptation à la variabilité et aux changements climatiques au ZimbabweThis bulletin outlines participatory action research (PAR) used in revitalizing traditional safety nets. Eighteen villages participated in the project in Zimbabwe. Community members mobilized organic nutrient inputs and draught power, prepared common land and cultivated maize, soya and cowpea following integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) guidelines developed by a team of technical experts including lead farmers. By integrating knowledge sharing platforms with technical services, opportunities were generated for the Nyahava community to revitalize “Zunde raMambo,” a traditional social safety net. This further strengthened community cohesion for collective action in safeguarding vulnerable households

Zimbabwe : mobiliser les filets de sécurité locaux pour améliorer la capacité d'adaptation à la variabilité et aux changements climatiques au Zimbabwe

Version anglaise disponible dans la Bibliothèque numérique du CRDI : Zimbabwe : mobilizing local safety nets for enhanced adaptive capacity to climate change and variability in Zimbabw

Point of no return? Rehabilitating degraded soils for increased crop productivity on smallholder farms in eastern Zimbabwe

Soil degradation is a major threat to Southern Africa's agricultural production. Crops show generally weak responses to mineral fertilizers on degraded soils. A three-year study was conducted between 2009 and 2012 on smallholder farms in eastern Zimbabwe to explore entry points for rehabilitating degraded croplands using principles of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) supported through farmers' local knowledge of soils. Participatory research approaches were first used to investigate farmers' understanding of soil degradation and the commonly used local diagnostic indicators. Farmers' determinants of degraded soils centered on crop performance, indicator weed species and soil physical attributes, and matched laboratory parameters. Overall, physical and chemical properties of the degraded soils were significantly lower than reported values for productive sandy soils in Zimbabwe. Evaluated on ten degraded field sites of corresponding catenary positions and similar slope, the main ISFM options involved nitrogen-fixing herbaceous legumes planted in the first year, with subsequent addition of cattle manure in the second year. In the third year, the influence of the ISFM options on maize productivity and changes in soil biological activity were then evaluated. Phosphorus was applied every year under each sequence. The controls were natural fallow and continuous maize. The treatments were randomly assigned to plots at each of the experimental sites and replicated across farms. Above-ground biomass carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) accumulation was 3038 kg ha- 1 and 203 kg ha- 1, respectively, under 1-year indigenous legume fallow (indifallow) against 518 kg C ha- 1 and 14 kg N ha- 1 under 1-year natural fallow. Two-year indifallow produced approximately three times the biomass N attained under the 2-year natural fallow. When all the treatments were planted to a maize test crop in the third year, herbaceous legume-based sequences showed the highest response to mineral fertilizer N compared with natural fallow-based sequences and continuous fertilized maize. A regression of maize yields against mineral N fertilizer showed a maximum yield of 2.5 t ha- 1 under the herbaceous legume-based sequences against 1 t ha- 1 under continuous fertilized maize and natural fallow-based options following addition of 120 kg ha- 1 of mineral N fertilizer. ‘Green-start’, a Crotalaria juncea L. (sunnhemp)-based sequence, and ‘Indifallow-start 1’, an indigenous legume-based sequence, gave the highest microbial biomass C (MBC) of 243 mg kg- 1 soil compared with 187 mg kg- 1 soil under continuous maize. Microbial biomass N showed a similar trend. Under ‘Green-start’ and ‘Indifallow-start 1’, MBC to organic C ratio averaged 7; about one and half times more than under natural fallow-based sequences and continuous fertilized maize. Consistent with microbial biomass, soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emission under ‘Green-start’ and ‘Indifallow-start 1’ was 22% higher than under natural fallow-based sequences. Continuous maize treatments gave higher metabolic quotients (qCO2) than legume-based sequences, indicating a lower microbial efficiency under the former. We concluded that short-term restoration of productivity of degraded sandy soils should focus on high quality organic resource application and P fertilization to stimulate microbial activity and induce responses to mineral fertilizers. When coupled to P fertilization, herbaceous legume-based ISFM sequences provide a potential entry point for reversing soil degradation and offer opportunities for increasing crop productivity in dominant smallholder farming systems of Zimbabwe and other parts of Southern Africa

CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY: SMALLHOLDER FARMING COMMUNITIES IN ZIMBABWE PORTRAY A VARIED UNDERSTANDING

Increasing awareness of risks associated with climate change and variability among smallholder farmers is critical in building their capacity to develop the necessary adaptive measures. Using farmer participatory research approaches and formal questionnaire surveys, interaction has been made with >800 farmers in two distinct smallholder farming systems of Makoni and Wedza Districts in eastern Zimbabwe to determine the current level of understanding of climate change and variability, current responses to perceived changes, as well as identify sources of agro-meteorological information. The results indicated that farmers portrayed a varied understanding both within and across the study sites. While poor rainfall distribution was seen as the major indicator for climate change by over two-thirds of the respondents in both sites, more farmers in Makoni attributed delay in onset of rains, high incidences of flush floods and unpredictable ‘wind movements’ yielding cyclones to climate change. In Wedza, it was recurrent droughts, winter and summer temperature extremes, and increased pest and disease incidences for both crops and livestock that indicated climate change. Perceived changes were linked more to natural and human forces (Makoni), unknown forces as well as breakdown in cultural norms and beliefs and rise of Christianity (Wedza). Disparities between the two sites could be attributed to the inherent differences of the communities in terms to their social settings. The national extension, Agritex, was ranked first by 50-60% of the farmers as major source of weather information. Electronic media (radio and television) ranked second with 47% of farmers in Makoni and 35% in Wedza. Concerns were raised over inadequacies of such information, apparent lack of reliability, timing and frequency of dissemination that directly influenced the utilisation of the information. Common coping strategies included early planting which was the more prevalent in Makoni, while combinations of cereals and legumes were a preferred solution in Wedza. We concluded that farmers’ interaction with various information sources and knowledge sharing platforms needs to be enhanced in order to deepen their understanding as well as increase their capacity to respond to pressures of climate variability and change.L’amélioration des connaissances des petits fermiers sur les risques lies au changement du climat et sa variabilité est un fait important pour l’édification de leur capacité de développer des mesures nécessaires d’adaptation. En utilisant des méthodes de recherche participative et un questionnaire d’enquête formelle, l’interaction a été faite avec plus de 800 fermiers de deux systèmes d’exploitation distincts de districts de Makoni et Wedza à l’Est du Zimbabwe, afin de déterminer le niveau actuel de compréhension du changement du climat et sa variabilité, les mécanismes d’adaptation aux changements perçus, ainsi qu’identifier les sources d’information agro météorologique. Les résultats ont indiqué que les fermiers avaient un niveau varié de compréhension dans les deux sites d’étude.Alors qu’une faible distribution des précipitations était considérée comme étant l’indicateur majeur du changement du climat par plus de 2/3 des répondants dans les deux sites, la plupart des fermiers de Makoni ont affirmé que le retard dans l’apparition des pluies, incidence élevée des inondations et mouvement du vent imprédictible résultant du cyclone par le changement du climat. En Wedza, le changement du climat était manifesté à travers les sécheresses récurrentes, des températures extrêmes pendant l’hiver et l’été ainsi que l’accroissement d’incidences de pestes et maladies affectant des cultures et le bétail. Les changements perçus étaient plus liés aux forces naturelles et humaines (Makoni), des forces inconnues aussi bien que la non-observance des normes culturales et les croyances et le développement de la chrétienté (Wedza). Les disparités entre les deux sites pourraient être attribuées aux différences inhérentes des deux communautés en termes de leurs environnements sociaux. La vulgarisation nationale, Agritex, était rangée la première par 50-60% des fermiers comme source majeur de l’information sur le climat suivi du media électronique (radio et télévision) avec 47% des fermiers dans Makoni et 35% dans Wedza. Les problèmes évoqués étaient liés au manque de consistance de l’information, manque apparent de fiabilité, le temps et la fréquence de dissémination qui directement influencent l’utilisation de l’information. Les stratégies communes d’adaptation consistaient en la plantation à temps spécialement dans Makoni, pendant que les combinaisons des céréales et des légumes étaient une solution préférée en Wedza. En conclusion, l’interaction des fermiers avec des sources variées d’information et les plateformes de partage de connaissance ont besoin d’être développée afin d’améliorer leur niveau de compréhension aussi bien renforcer leur capacité à répondre aux pressions du changement du climat et sa variabilité

Tapping indigenous herbaceous legumes for soil fertility management by resource-poor farmers in Zimbabwe

A 2-year study was conducted in three rainfall zones of Zimbabwe to explore opportunities for harnessing biological nitrogen fixation of non-cultivated herbaceous legumes, which hitherto have been regarded simply as weeds, in order to improve soil productivity on smallholder farms. The rainfall zones used ranged from sub-humid (800 mm annually) to semi-arid (50 kg N ha-1. While such relatively small amounts of N input may not result in dramatic yield increases for subsequent crops, they may make a critical contribution towards reversing the highly negative nutrient balances prevailing on the fields of resource-poor farmers. Overall plant biomass yields wer

Interaction patterns determining improved information and knowledge sharing among smallholder farmers

Limited access to timely and adequate information has been identified as a major hindrance to smallholder agriculture in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. This has negatively affected the socio-economic welfare of smallholder farmers, resulting in high numbers of foodinsecure households. This paper explores the potential value of social interactions between smallholder farmers in improving integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) information and knowledge access and sharing, in the context of field-based learning alliances. With a particular focus on understanding the structural layout of the smallholder social network, the study quantified the connectedness of smallholder farmers along an innovation learning cycle. The study revealed that smallholder farmers within learning alliances had a denser network structure of social interactions. The magnitude of communication efficiency was generally higher for learning alliance participants than non-participants. Field-based learning alliances facilitated improved social interactions, subsequently shortening the innovation dissemination horizon and hence increasing the likelihood of ISFM adoption

Assessing the potential benefits of organic and mineral fertiliser combinations on maize and legume productivity under smallholder management in Zimbabwe

Low inherent soil fertility status coupled with little or no external nutrient inputs have contributed to rapid soil nutrient depletion and low maize yields that rarely exceed 1 t ha-1 in Southern Africa, threatening household food security. A study was initiated in the 2008/09 season to determine the effects of combined application of basal P- containing fertilisers and locally available organic nutrient sources on productivity of cowpea and soybean on smallholder farms. An evaluation of how cowpea productivity can be influenced by farmer management and resource endowment, in a market oriented production system was also done. Vigna unguiculata, Glycine max, Crotalaria juncea and selected indigenous legumes of the genera Crotalaria, Tephrosia and Indigofera were grown using combinations of traditional Compound D (N: 7%, P2O5: 14%, K2O: 7%) and a PKS (P2O5: 32%, K2O: 16%, S: 5%) basal fertiliser formulation, with either cattle manure or leaf litter. Legume biomass sampled at 50% flowering was in the range of 0.8 – 3.9 t ha-1, the maximum being for basal D combined with cattle manure. There were no significant differences between treatments at a site which had < 0.5% organic carbon. Cowpea grain yield from resource endowed farmers was significantly different to the other farmer resource groups, but averaged only 0.9 t ha-1. At the site which became waterlogged sunnhemp contributed only 9 kg N ha-1, but at other sites the green manure species contributed N ranging from 54 – 133 kg ha-1. Overall, legume productivity and N contribution increased with P application and the maximum was recorded when nutrient sources where combined, despite the superior performance of D combined with either manure or litter, over PKS combinations. We concluded that grain legume yields can hardly exceed 1 t ha-1, without external nutrients, on sandy soils with low organic matter thus combining locally available resources and mineral P- fertilisers can be a better option to boost productivity of N2-fixing legumes