Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability in Chiredzi District of Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study sought to understand household adaptation strategies to climate variability and analyse socioeconomic factors influencing smallholder farmers’ adaptation.  A binary logit model was used to analyse the factors influencing household decision to adapt to climate variability. Results show that at farm level, the adaptation techniques employed included dry planting, conservation agriculture, planting short season crop varieties, holding prayers and religious festivals and crop diversification. From the binary logit model, access to extension , number of members fit to work, livestock holding, access to credit, neatively age of household head  positively influenced adaptation decision while age of household head and farm income  negatively influenced adaptation decision.

Keywords: Climate change, Adaptation, binomial logit, smallholder farmers, resources, technology