Revising the National Framework for the Management of Drought (NFMD) to Enhance Vegetable Farmers’ Vulnerability to Drought in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa

Abstract

Climate change is a global challenge which is causing persistent droughts in South Africa. This is concerning in the absence of a proper management strategies targeting small-scale vegetable farmers especially for agricultural sustainability and food security. The sustainability of agriculture and food supply is in line with the second goal (Zero Hunger) of 2030 UN sustainable development goals. The focus of this chapter is on small-scale farmers as opposed to commercial farmers because of the differential vulnerability to drought as a result of social, economic and environmental conditions. Drought persisted in the in major parts of South Africa especially the Northern Cape and existing policies and management frameworks are inadequately equipped to sustain affected famers. Although both small-scale and commercial farmers are affected, small-scale farmers are highly vulnerable as they lose their entire livelihood during droughts. The revision undertook extensive literature and focused on the national framework for the management of drought developed by the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries DAFF as a conceptual base. The chapter reveals that, drought mitigations strategies employed by the integrated drought management teams are not adequate to address the impact and sustainability on small-scale farmers.

Climate risk assessment in insurance: A USA and Africa Review

“…Empirical work highlights the vulnerability of agriculture to climate change in Africa, emphasizing the need for innovative insurance products to mitigate these risks (Sossou et al, 2020). Small-scale and communal farmers in South Africa have proven to be more vulnerable to droughts due to their concentration in less favorable climatic zones and lack of resources, highlighting the need for community-based resilience initiatives (Ramafoko et al, 2022).…”