Smallholder farmer livelihood strategies for coping and adapting to drought in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Drought is a natural phenomenon which causes widespread socio-economic and environmental challenges. The increasing frequency and intensity of drought events is negatively impacting on smallholder farmers’ livelihoods. The challenges related to drought are compounding existing water and food insecurity worldwide. There is an urgent need for coherent strategies that drive towards sustainable development by 2030 as proposed by the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), mainly Goals 1 (no poverty) and 2 (zero hunger) in poor rural communities. This study assessed rainfall and temperature trends from 1960 to 2018 and the impacts on crop production in the Mopani and Vhembe Districts of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Trend analysis was used to assess rainfall patterns, as well as the trends in temperature recorded for the past 58 years. The climate moisture index (CMI) and runoff estimates were used to assess the degree of aridity and water availability, respectively. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remotely sensed data were used to assess the changes over time. As part of the assessment and analysis of drought, multiple sources of data were consulted, including 200 households’ socio-economic information, focus group discussions, interviews and geospatial analysis. Climate change adaptation were observed in smallholder farmers through planting early maturing plants and drought-tolerant crops, altering planting dates, crop diversification, and irrigating in addition to non-farming activities. The study used the Household Economy Approach (HEA) to characterise and classify smallholder farmers in the Mopani and Vhembe districts of the Limpopo Province using socio-economic, geographic, and ecological factors. Results show that indeed, much diversification exist within smallholder farmers, each deploying specific strategies towards more resilient livelihood outcomes. The key factors that underpin the classification of smallholder farmers and determine livelihood strategies include sources of income, level of education, national social grants, production activities, tangible assets, household characteristics and other factors. Therefore, the one-size-fits-all definitions do not apply in the two districts. It is therefore ideal for a livelihoods analysis to be conducted whenever there are interventions to be made for smallholder farmers to adequately inform them and enhance their effectiveness. Policy and decision-makers should focus on enhancing adaptation and resilience initiatives in the study areas through systematic, transformative, and integrated approaches, such as scenario planning, circular economy, and nexus planning. The smallholder farmers are classified as poor, middle, and better off in order to assist them during drought periods.