A proposed climate change education programme for Sinazongwe district of Southern Zambia
Date
2019
Authors
Syabwanta, Simpilo
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
Effects of climate variability on pastoral farming are a reality in the 21st Century. This has negatively contributed by reducing the practice of pastoral farming in Zambia. The study has proposed a Climate Change Education Programme (CCEP) to address effects of Climate Variability (CV) on Pastoral Farming in Sinazongwe District of Southern Zambia. The study was guided by the following objectives: to investigate perceptions of pastoral farmers toward effects of climate variability on pastoral farming for the period of fifteen years (2001- 2016); to examine effects of climate variability on pastoral farming; to determine existing coping strategies on climate variability among pastoral farmers; to propose a Climate Change Education Programme (CCEP) to improve pastoral farmer’s adaptive capacity to effects of climate variability.
The study used qualitative approaches which was guided by a single case study. It employed heterogeneous purposive sampling, purposive sampling, convenient purposive and expert purposive sampling and simple random sampling to select the 70 respondents that included 45 households’ pastoral farmers, 10 Agricultural Officers and Veterinary officers, 15 local leaders such as headmen, councillors and community leaders in Sinazongwe District who were divided according to local zones or blocks. Both primary and secondary data collection tools were used.
The results show that pastoral farmers were aware and had knowledge about effects of climate variability on pastoral farming. Pastoral farmers also observed and experienced climate variability through increase in drought prevalence, reduction on the number of livestock, changing rainfall pattern or precipitation, temperature variability, increase in diseases, pest and loss of pasture and occurrence of floods. In view of such effects of climate variability on pastoral farming, pastoral farmers employed diverse coping strategies to cope and adapt to the local problem. These included dam construction, sinking of boreholes, sinking of wells especially in the dry or drought season, pasture management, animal restocking and selling of animals. In addition, pastoral farmers utilised strategies such as livestock breeding change, use of traditional knowledge, herd management, ranching, veterinary services and economic diversification such as fishing and crop farming.
Educational strategies are appropriate to address the effects of climate variability which can increase pastoral farmer’s coping and adaptive capacity. The study indicated that pastoral farmers were aware of pastoral farming changes as a result of vulnerability to effects of climate variability. In this regard, it has contributed to the increase in the loss of livestock through poor coping and adaptation strategies being employed by local people because of lack of educational programmes. Climate Change Education Programme (CCEP) is needed to provide appropriate and suitable knowledge and innovative skills among pastoral farmers to enhance their adaptive capacity.
The main recommendation of the study is the need to implement the proposed Climate Change Education Programme to address the effects of climate variability on pastoral farming in Sinazongwe District thereby reducing the loss of livestock. The proposed programme will enhance knowledge to improve pastoral farming. Educational strategies play a key role in addressing societal problems.
Key words: Climate Variability, Coping Strategies, Adaptive Capacity, Pastoral Farming and Climate Change Education Programme.
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Thesis
Keywords
Climate Variability--Zambia , Climate change-- Pastoral farming--Zambia , Pastoral farmers--Zambia