The Role of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in combatting the Effects of Climate Change among Small-scale Farmers – The case of Zambia
- April 7, 2021
- Posted by: RSIS
- Category: IJRISS
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue III, March 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186
Jonah Kondowe
M.A. Governance and Regional Integration
Pan African University, Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS) in Cameroon, Yaoundé
Abstract – This study set out to explore the role of SADC in combatting the effects of climate change among small-scale farmers using the case study of Zambia. The methodology adopted was an explorative qualitative design. A qualitative thematic analysis that involved building a thematic coding frame based on the key research question was used to analyse the study. The findings show that SADC has developed and implemented a series of projects to help small-scale farmers combat the effects of climate change. SADC also established the Plant Genetic Resources Centre (PGRC), among other initiatives relating to mapping out related projects in soliciting funds. Therefore, this research recommends: integrating SADC programmes with government programmes at the national level to ensure that all agricultural extension officer’s capacities are built and developing a regional authority responsible for generating climate finance.
Keywords: Climate change, Small-scale farmers, Adaptation, Vulnerability
I. INTRODUCTION
Climate change affects all economic sectors of Africa, and it presents challenges if the continent is to achieve sustainable development goals. The African continent is already plagued by poverty, lack of infrastructure and high dependence on subsistence agriculture, and these tend to be boosted by the stresses triggered by climate change. Also, taking cognisance of the reality that the region’s population mostly relies on natural systems such as the rains for input in food production, climate change is a threat to the area’s food security and efforts towards poverty reduction (Shiferaw and Holden, 1998). Therefore, climate change is viewed as a phenomenon that seems to be eroding decades of development gains. More effort will be required to reverse this narrative (Bhole et al., 1994; IPCC, 2007; McCarthy et al., 2001).
