Smallholder Livestock Farming under Climate Stress: Farmer Perceptions, Institutional Constraints and Adaptation Pathways in Beitbridge District, Zimbabwe.

Abstract:

This paper examines the experiences of smallholder livestock farmers in Beitbridge, a primarily arid agroecological district in Zimbabwe, as they navigate the challenges posed by climate change and adapt their livestock management practices accordingly. It uses a mixed-method research design, largely shaped by farmer perceptions and attitudes. The study also draws on insights from scholarly literature to explore the country's limits and constraints to climate change adaptation and the coping strategies and resilience-building measures farmers employ. The research highlights the critical role of institutional arrangements, such as government policies and support mechanisms, in shaping the capacity of smallholder farmers to adapt to climate variability and extreme weather events effectively. The findings revealed that livestock farmers often confuse local by-laws with formal policy guidelines with the result that some tragically view climate change as ‘an act of God,’ leading to a sense of helplessness and detachment and a reluctance to adopt climate-smart livestock practices. The study emphasizes the need for education and training on livestock resilience building among small farmers. It calls for further research on the effects of climate change on livestock farming in particular, cattle value chains.