User:Jacob Biri

Drought caused by Climate Change. A case of Bikita District

Prepared by Jacob Biri Masvingo Zimbambwe. +263775 028 440 birijacob@gail.com

1.1 Introduction The research is focusing on the effects of drought, the causes and its impacts on human socio-economic life. The research is also highlighting drought which is a result of little or no rainfall throughout the years. Rainfall is the back-born of human social and economic life and the absence of it can be a disaster to the society. The research was aimed at analysing and monitoring the seasonal occurrences of drought in Bikita District of Masvingo province of Zimbabwe and its social effects on the day to day lives of Bikita residents. This drought is as a result of poor rains over the past 5 years. Most villagers in Bikita district embark their sustainability on subsistence farming. They grow crops for family consumptions and the surplus, they sell to buy groceries and domestic use and paying for medication and education. Over the years, the researcher has noticed a great change in decline in agricultural output and that had made many villagers starve and others failing to sent their children to school.

1.2 Background of the Study Rainfall is key to farming and a way of earning a living, but if it is not available, then we cannot grow anything. Most schemes have dried up and collapsed owing to vandalism, yet these were the growing sites. Communities reliance on farming as a social benefit have made families to experience a serious famine period. Zimbabwe from the SADDC was well known for food security, but this vanished over a decade ago. Zimbabwe has lost its fame in agricultural activities and hence been known for being one of the leading countries that face shortage of food due to drought. Bikita District in Masvingo Province is one of the worst places that are experiencing drought of shortage of food for family consumption and efforts should be done to encounter this society hazard that is starving innocent young ones. The limited rains in most parts of Bikita Rural District has worsened the image of Zimbabwe and tarnishing its fame in SADC as the greatest agricultural producer in the region. The community life’s is at risk and they are all calling with one voice for foreign and government emergency help.

1.3 Statement of the Problem Masvingo province faces acute food shortages as drought has increased across most parts of the province and mainly Bikita District, leaving many without or no food to see them through to the next harvest. Bikita District has a huge food deficit because of the low crop yields, the harvest were far from satisfactory over the years. There are poor harvests and food assistance is needed. The season quality is poor and the food security is precarious. Rainfall patterns shifted and the Forecasts stations are failing to provide accurate rainfall patterns for planting seasons. The District is susceptible to droughts and many communal farmers and Subsistent farmers, whose livelihoods depend on agriculture have been facing food shortages for the past decade, making them perennial candidates for food aid. Despite from rainfall patterns the District is also faces input shortages as prices increases beyond the reach of ordinary farmers. Seed is very critical because it is difficult to get, while fertilizer can be found but very expensive. Most of the farming lands have been farmed for more than a millennium and the soils have lost its fertility and giving poor or no output.

1.4 Objectives Climate records demonstrate that Zimbabwe is already beginning to experience the effects of climate change, rainfall variability and extreme events. These conditions, combined with warming trends, are expected to render land increasingly marginal for agriculture, which poses a major threat to the economy and the livelihoods of the poor due to Zimbabwe’s heavy dependence on rain-fed agriculture and climate sensitive resources. It is expected that of farmers of approximately 62 per cent of the total population, will bear disproportionate impacts due to their limited adaptive capacity. Climate change poses a major threat to sustainable development at the micro and macro levels. Climate change is expected to have adverse effects on a variety of socio-economic sectors that are closely linked to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Climate-induced water stress threatens to decrease the quantity and quality of drinking water in rural and urban areas, reduce the run-off necessary to sustain the country’s hydro-electric power supply, and contribute to declining agricultural productivity. Drought induced famine has been the worst disaster from which most rural people experience immense anguish. It still remains a National policy agenda that the Government have to seek for better ways of helping the affected families who have been 8affect by drought over different years. Climate Change conclude that not only green-house gas emissions are already beginning to change the global climate, but also that Africa will experience increased water stress, decreased yields from rain-fed agriculture, increased food insecurity and malnutrition, sea-level rise, and an increase in arid and semi-arid land as a result of this process. This is witnessed in some parts of Bikita District which are adopting these conditions and leaving the communities in need of aid. The impacts of climate change have affected the smooth farming practices in most rural areas of Zimbabwe particularly in Bikita Rural areas. Droughts are expected to deepen where the capacity of rainfall is too little. It remains a challenge in communities as local people have devised different coping mechanisms based on the resources that are locally available but the effectiveness of these mechanisms are of no better. Agriculture’s sensitivity to climate-induced water stress is seen to intensify the existing problems of declining agricultural outputs, poverty and food insecurity, with smallholder farmers particularly affected. About 50 percent of maize and small grains grown in Bikita District this farming season have wilted amid the protracted dryness. Most crops were a write-off and villagers have released their livestock into the fields as there is no yield from the fields. About 37, 739 households and half of them will need food relief after their crop suffered moisture stress. The current statistics showed that these households will not harvest anything due to excessive heat that resulted in crops suffering serious moisture stress said Bikita District Admistrator Mr. Innocent Matingwini. Bikita has a population of 161, 701and half of them will need food aid. Changes in climate have resulted in more arid environments for agricultural production, which has shifted Zimbabwe’s five main agro-ecological zones (or ‘natural regions’). Rainfall patterns and crop production progressively deteriorate following periods with little or no rainfall. The cause of droughts is easily understood, but hard to prevent. Depending on the location, crop failures, famine, high food prices, and deaths can occur. One of the scariest parts of a drought is the onset time. Unlike other forms of severe weather or natural disasters, droughts often develop slowly. This site has a great list of other famous droughts.1. There are three main ways droughts impact lives and communities. First, the economic impacts of drought include losses in the timber, agricultural, and fisheries communities. Many of these losses are then passed on to consumers in the form of higher commodity pricing. 2. Next social impacts include increased chance of conflict over commodities, fertile land, and water resources. Other social impacts include abandonment of cultural traditions, loss of homelands, changes in lifestyle, and increased chance of health risks due to poverty and hygiene issues. 3. Finally, the environmental impacts of drought include loss in species biodiversity, migration changes, reduced air quality, and increased soil erosion. Other parts of the world experience long periods without rains as well. Even during monsoon season, areas that depend on the seasonal rains will often experience drought if the monsoon rains fail. Once crops fail, famine can become a major problem. In some African countries, rain rituals are often used to try and thwart the dry seasons and bring on the rain. While it is no cure, modern technology has developed ways to help see potential famine situations as satellites see famine conditions from space. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region. Although droughts can persist for several years, even a short, intense drought can cause significant damage[2] and harm to the local economy.[3] Annual dry seasons in the tropics significantly increase the chances of a drought developing and subsequent bush fires. Periods of heat can significantly worsen drought conditions by hastening evaporation of water vapor. Agricultural droughts are droughts that affect crop production or the ecology of the range. This condition can also arise independently from any change in precipitation levels when soil conditions and erosion triggered by poorly planned agricultural endeavors cause a shortfall in water available to the crops. However, in a traditional drought, it is caused by an extended period of below average precipitation.[37]

Drought can also reduce water quality,[40][41] because lower water flows reduce dilution of pollutants and increase contamination of remaining water sources. Common consequences of drought include: Diminished crop growth or yield productions and carrying capacity for livestock Dust bowls, themselves a sign of erosion, which further erode the landscape Dust storms, when drought hits an area suffering from desertification and erosion Famine due to lack of water for irrigation Habitat damage, affecting both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife[42] Hunger, drought provides too little water to support food crops. Malnutrition, dehydration and related diseases Mass migration, resulting in internal displacement and international refugees Reduced electricity production due to reduced water flow through hydroelectric dams[43] Shortages of water for industrial users[44][45] Snake migration, which results in snakebites[46] Social unrest War over natural resources, including water and food Wildfires, such as Australian bushfires, are more common during times of drought and even death of people.[47] Exposure and oxidation of acid sulfate soils due to falling surface and groundwater levels.[48][49][50]

1.5 limitations Bringing out information together is time consuming as the researcher had to spare extra time to visit places to gather information. The researcher took most of his time working at a Government Parastatal in the industrial sites of Masvingo town and spends most of the time at work. Key among all, the researcher incurred extra costs and huge sums of money to travel places in search of useful information. To collect data from interviews and questionnaires made it a hard thing for the researcher as he could come across different people of different perceptions. Other interviewed people had negatives attitudes to the researcher as others did not even assist in providing the information required.

1.6 Delimitations Bikita District is in Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe. The District borders the Gutu, Zaka, Masvingo and Devure Range Districts. The Bikita Rural District Offices are situated 20 Km from Nyika Growth Point along Nyika via Bikita- Zaka Road. The District covers areas such as Bikita Minerals, Nyika, Bikita, Matsvange and Chikuku rural arrears. The map below helps to situate the area under review. The researcher faced a challenge in picking up the topic in trying to access the real problems that are at hand that needs to be attained as soon as possible.

1.7 Signifiany of the Study The main purpose of the study was to investigate causes, effects and management mechanisms of drought crisis, in rural areas of Bikita. Drought is an insidious hazard of nature. Droughts result when there is less than normal precipitation over an extended period of time, usually a season or more. The decreased water input results in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental sector. Drought can also occur when the temperature is higher than normal for a sustained period of time; this causes more water to be drawn off by evaporation. The research is also educating the local community and the nation at large on the best ways and methods of cabbing this cause of human suffering. Greenhouse and irrigational schemes among other factors should be put in practice and the government must give a hand for its people. The research is bringing out the challenges that are faced by the community at hand and the best possible solutions that must be put in action. Human beings often increase the impact of drought because of high use of water which cannot be supported when the natural supply decreases

1.8 Definition of Terms Climate change: A change in the state of the climate that can be identified by using statistical tests by changes in the mean and or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer (IPCC, 2007).

Climate change impacts: The effects of climate change on natural and human systems (IPCC, 2007). 

Vulnerability: Vulnerability is the degree to which a system is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, and rate of climate change and variation to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity, and its adaptive capacity (IPCC, 2007). Adaptation: The process through which societies increase their ability to cope with an uncertain future, which involves taking appropriate action and making the adjustments and changes to reduce the negative impacts of climate change (UNFCCC, 2007). Drought: is any period of moisture deficiency that deviates from climatic normals at a given location or region (Warren and Khogali, 1992, Hulme, 1996). Droughts are normal recurring climatic phenomena that affect people and the landscapes. They occur at many scales (locally, regionally, and nationally) for periods varying from weeks to decades (Glantz; 1987 and Wilhite, 1993)

1.8 Summary The study was to investigate causes, effects and management mechanisms of drought crisis, in rural areas of Bikita. The definitions reflect differences in regions, needs and disciplinary approaches. Wilhite and Glantz categorized their collection of definitions into four basic approaches to measuring drought: meteorological, hydrological, agricultural and socioeconomic. Agricultural drought occurs when there isn't enough soil moisture to meet the needs of a particular crop at a particular time. Agricultural drought happens after meteorological drought but hydrological drought. Agriculture is usually the first economic sector to be affected by drought. Meteorological drought is usually measured by how far from normal the precipitation has been over some period of time. These definitions are usually region-specific, and presumably based on a thorough understanding of regional climates Hydrological drought refers to deficiencies in surface and subsurface water supplies. It is measured as stream flow, and as lake, reservoir and ground water levels. Socioeconomic drought is what happens when physical water shortage starts to affect people, individually and collectively. Or, in more abstract terms, most socioeconomic definitions of drought associate it with the supply and demand of an economic good.

The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Cde Shuvai Mahofa has said those facing hunger must not panic as government was working on the food importation modalities. Cde Mahofa said drought mitigation schemes were going to be introduced while government will meet its obligations of feeding people.