Climate Change Impact on Agricultural Production and Adaptation Strategies: Farmers’ Perception and Experiences

INTRODUCTION In Zambia, agriculture continues to be an important source of livelihood, supporting about 70% of the population. The country’s agriculture sector is dominated by small scale rural farmers, who largely depend on rain for crop production, mainly due to the absence of irrigation equipment in most rural communities. Thus any change in climate, mostly manifested as an increase in frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as drought, has a potential to significantly reduce agricultural production and household food security. Since the majority of Zambia’s population lives in rural areas and depends heavily on rain-fed agriculture for food and income, climate change presents a challenge to the country’s attempts to reduce rural poverty, which currently stands at 80% (CSO, 2010). Not only does climate change affect crop production but also water access and availability, human and livestock health and may also cause damage to dwellings and infrastructure. Information on climate change and its interaction with agriculture is important for farmers and policy makers. With this information, farmers are better able to plan for possible changes in yields, water shortages, and possible increases in pests and livestock disease incidence. Planners and decision makers can also benefit from such information as it provides a basis for designing effective climate change adaptation interventions.