TY  - JOUR
AV  - restricted
A1  - Jiri, O
A1  - Mafongoya, P L
A1  - Chivenge, P
TI  - Contextual vulnerability of rainfed crop-based farming communities in semi-arid Zimbabwe: A case of Chiredzi District
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-03-2017-0070
JF  - International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
SN  - 1756-8692
PB  - Emerald Publishing
N1  - This study was funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa through the
Research Chair: Agronomy and Rural Development, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg,
South Africa.
N2  - Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess smallholder farmers? vulnerability to climate change and variability based on the socioeconomic and biophysical characteristics of Chiredzi District, a region that is susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change and variability.

Design/methodology/approach
Vulnerability was assessed using the Vulnerability to Resilience and the Climate Vulnerability and Capacity frameworks.

Findings
The major indicators and drivers of vulnerability were identified as droughts, flash floods, poor soil fertility and out-migration leaving female- and child-headed households. From sensitivity analysis, it was shown that different areas within the district considered different biophysical and socioeconomic indicators to climate change and variability. They also considered different vulnerability indicators to influence the decisions for adaptation to climate change and variability.

Originality/value
The results of this study indicate that the area and cropping systems are greatly exposed and are sensitive to climatic change stimuli, as shown by the decline in main cereal grain yield. These results also showed that there is a need to define and map local area vulnerability as a basis to recommend coping and adaptation measures to counter climate change hazards.
KW  - Adaptive capacity
KW  -  Vulnerability
KW  -  Smallholder farmers
KW  -  Sensitivity
KW  -  Exposure
KW  -  Rainfed crop-based farming communities
KW  -  Semi-arid Zimbabwe
Y1  - 2017///
SP  - 777
ID  - icrisat10331
EP  - 789
VL  - 9
IS  - 6
ER  -