Indigenous and local knowledge in the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate variability and change in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Abstract Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change, with Indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers being among the most vulnerable. However, there is limited understanding of how Indigenous knowledge (IK) and local knowledge (LK) can reduce or contribute to smallholder farmers’ vulnerability and the conditions under which they can effectively reduce overall climate risk. This is partly because IK and LK are often excluded from vulnerability assessments. Therefore, we developed a locally calibrated Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) that integrates IK and LK as one of the pathways to assess the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate variability and change in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe. A cross-sectional survey of 100 smallholder farmers was conducted to understand their perceptions, household-level sensitivity, exposure, and adaptative capacity. Analysis of local climate data (1972–2021) showed a delayed onset of the rainy season for sorghum and maize and increased mean maximum annual temperatures—important changes in local climate that align with changes perceived by smallholder farmers and affect their exposure and livelihoods. Farmers with IK and LK had a higher adaptive capacity and lower vulnerability than farmers with no IK and LK. Farmers with IK and LK reduced their vulnerability (LVI = 0.379) by using IK and LK weather and seasonal forecasts to make climate-informed decisions that improved food and livelihood strategies compared to farmers with no IK and LK (LVI = 0.412). Farmers with IK and LK diversify the number of crops they plant and implement more crop adaptation responses, thereby diversifying the risk of crop failure and reducing food shortage. Although Indigenous peoples and local communities including smallholder farmers are generally highly vulnerable, this study shows that IK and LK can reduce absolute and relative vulnerability, thus highlighting the important role of IK and LK in reducing smallholder farmers’ livelihood vulnerability by improving their adaptive capacity.