Climate change in semi-arid Malawi: Perceptions, adaptation strategies and water governance

Abstract

Climate change and variability are a threat to sustainable agricultural production in semi-arid areas of Malawi. Overdependence on subsistence rain-fed agriculture in these areas calls for the identification of sustainable adaptation strategies. A study was therefore conducted in Chikwawa, a semi-arid district in southern Malawi, to: (1) assess community’s perception of a changing climate against empirical evidence, (2) determine their local adaptive measures, (3) evaluate the potential of irrigated agriculture as an adaptive measure in household food security and (4) challenges over access to available water resources. The study employed focus group discussions and key informant interviews to assess people’s perceptions of climate change and variability and their desired interventions. To validate the people’s perceptions, rainfall and temperature data for the period 1960–2010 were analysed. A participatory complete randomised experimental design in both rain-fed and dry season–irrigated conditions was conducted to assess a maize cropping system that would improve adaptation. The study established persistent declining yields from rain-fed production in part because of perennial rainfall failure. In response, the community has shifted its focus to irrigation as an adaptation strategy, which has in turn triggered water conflicts in the community over the control of the resource. Water legislation however fails to adequately provide for rules governing sharing of water resources between various stakeholders. This article therefore recommends development of an appropriate institutional framework that forms a strong basis for equitable distribution of water for irrigation in areas most vulnerable to extreme climate events – including droughts and floods.

Building adaptive capacity: Reducing the climate vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe

“…Rural economies in Africa are particularly sensitive to the direct impacts of climate change, because many of them depend heavily on agriculture and ecosystems (Mathews, Kruger, & Wentink, 2018;Ngongondo et al, 2016; United Nations Development Programme…”

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“…Proliferation of rural water supplies as drilled boreholes with Afridev hand-pumps in Malawi means the current investment plans for the rural water supply sector remains heavily dependent on groundwater resources (and their sustainable management) in Malawi. However, the understanding of groundwater resources [33,34] and the long-term impacts of climate change in Malawi [35][36][37] is still in its infancy. Investment planning is further limited by assessment of long-term changes in aquifer storage, an absence of accurate drilling records, and a lack of adherence to professional drilling standards and questionable contractual arrangements (e.g., non-payment for a borehole that does not provide adequate water) [19,24].…”

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