African Local Governance Journal (Public Admin/Political | 08 January 2008
Climate Change Resilience Training and Agricultural Yield Stability Among Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe's Southern Highlands
Z, w, i, y, a, D, u, b, e, ,, N, d, l, o, v, u, M, a, b, v, u, r, a, ,, N, y, a, m, w, e, z, i, N, c, u, b, e, ,, C, h, i, z, o, b, a, M, u, t, s, v, a, n, g, a
Abstract
Climate change poses significant challenges to agricultural productivity in Zimbabwe's Southern Highlands, affecting smallholder farmers' livelihoods. A mixed-method approach combining qualitative interviews with quantitative data analysis to evaluate farmer perceptions and yield outcomes post-training programmes. Sustained increases in maize yields by an average of 20% were observed after participating in climate change resilience training, contributing to enhanced livelihood stability among farmers. The training significantly improved smallholder farmers' capacity to adapt to climate variability, leading to more stable agricultural outputs and reduced economic vulnerability. Expand climate change resilience training programmes to cover a broader range of crops and farming practices in Southern Highlands, alongside policy support for sustainable agriculture development.