Conclusion

Abstract

There is demonstrable evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, that the climate is changing in all three south-western Zimbabwean districts of Beitbridge, Bulilima and Binga. Temperatures have been increasing since the 1950s in the three districts and rainfall has become more variable. Minority farmer communities have known climate change not from books, seminars or workshops, but have experienced it in various ways, which include mainly recurrent droughts, increasingly hot temperatures, heat waves and periodic cyclonic episodes which cause serious floods. Consequently, the farmers have seen these climatic extremes triggering environmental change which includes the drying of wetlands, rivers and streams from excessive evapotranspiration. The changing climate has also contributed to the depletion of rangelands and the ecosystem in general, on which these communities depend for various services like food, medicine and pastures for their livelihood. This has negatively impacted the general livelihood of minority farmer communities who have depended almost exclusively on the natural environment.