bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomically Informed Use of Geostatistics to Track Adaptation of Resource-Poor Communities to Climate Change
Authors: Chari Martin Munashe , Hamandawana Hamisai , Zhou Leocadia
Published: May 2021

As the Green Climate Fund continues to make concerted efforts to leverage funding for resource-constrained communities in the global south under the aegis of increasing climate change impacts in sub-Saharan Africa, there is urgent and compelling need for tools that assist organizations to track the effectiveness of adaptation interventions in reducing vulnerability. This chapter offers a cost-effective methodology to track adaptation by using a case-study-based identification of communities with diminishing coping capacities in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Multistep geostatistical techniques were utilized in the ArcGIS 10.5 software environment to rank and spatialize changes in adaptation by using demographic census data for the years 2001 and 2011. Results of the analysis revealed that 12 communities had declining or static adaptive capacities between 2001 and 2011, while 10 communities had long-term decrease in adaptive capacities from 2001 to 2011 from a sampling universe of 134 communities. These findings are important because they demonstrate that the methodology can be effectively used to provide actionable information on the prevalence of low adaptation capacities at appropriate temporal and spatial scales, in order to guide the allocation of limited resources to the most deserving communities.
Risks of Indoor Overheating in Low-Cost Dwellings on the South African Lowveld
Authors: Matandirotya Newton R. , Cilliers Dirk P. , Burger Roelof P. , Pauw Christian , Piketh Stuart J.
Published: May 2021

The South African Lowveld is a region of land that lies between 150 and 2000 m above sea level. In summer the region is characterized by the maximum mean daily ambient temperature of 32 °C. The purpose of the study was to characterize indoor thermal environments in low-cost residential dwellings during summer seasons as climate is changing. Indoor and ambient air temperature measurements were performed at a 30-min temporal resolution using Thermochron iButtons in the settlement of Agincourt. 58 free running low-cost residential dwellings were sampled over the summer seasons of 2016 and 2017. Complementary ambient air temperature data were sourced from the South African Weather Service (SAWS). Data were transformed into hourly means for further analysis. It was found that hourly maximum mean indoor temperatures ranged between 27 °C (daytime) and 23 °C (nighttime) for both living rooms and bedrooms in summer 2016 while in 2017, maximum mean indoor temperatures ranged between 29 °C (daytime) and 26 °C (nighttime) in living rooms and bedrooms. Pearson correlations showed a positive association between indoor and ambient temperatures ranging between r = 0.40 (daytime) and r = 0.90 (nighttime). The association is weak to moderate during daytime because occupants apply other ventilation practices that reduce the relationship between indoor and ambient temperatures. The close association between nighttime ambient and indoor temperature can also be attributed to the effect of urban heat island as nighttime ambient temperature remain elevated; thus, influencing indoor temperatures also remain high. These findings highlight the potential threat posed by a rise in temperatures for low-cost residential dwellings occupants due to climate change. Furthermore, the high level of sensitiveness of dwellings to ambient temperature changes also indicates housing envelopes that have poor thermal resistance to withstand the Lowveld region’s harsh extreme heat conditions, especially during summer. The study findings suggest that a potential risk of indoor overheating exists in low-cost dwellings on the South African Lowveld as the frequency and intensity of heat waves rise. There is therefore a need to develop immediate housing adaptation interventions that mitigate against the projected ambient temperature rise for example through thermal insulation retrofits on the existing housing stock and passive housing designs for new housing stock.
Flood, Livelihood Displacement, and Poverty in Nigeria: Plights of Flood Victims, 2012–2018
Authors: Okafor Joachim Chukwuma
Published: May 2021

The impacts of flood on the Nigerian population over the years have been enormous. This is because the attendant associated risks such as destruction of lives and properties, livelihood displacement, and impoverishment of victims arising from increasing flood cases have constituted a threat to the citizens’ survival and therefore inform the attention the menace has drawn among scholars, policy analyst. This chapter has as its primary aim, a critical assessment of the impacts of government responses over the plight of victims of flooding in Nigeria over the years under review. Thus, special attention is given in this chapter to the various barriers or challenges facing government response to the plight of flood victims in Nigeria. Finally, some valuable steps, which if taken will reduce these barriers or challenges, are outlined. Though, the study adopted the use of secondary sources of data collection via content analysis, the experiences and knowledge gathered in this chapter will be strategically useful to people and organizations interested in the government of Nigeria’s response to the plight of flood victims, barriers inhibiting the success of fund utilization in reducing the suffering and impoverishment of the flood victims, number of deaths, and population displaced as a result.
Gender Implications of Farmers’ Indigenous Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Along Agriculture Value Chain in Nigeria
Authors: Deji Olanike F.
Published: May 2021

Climate change contributes significantly to the looming food insecurity in the rain-fed agricultural countries of Africa, including Nigeria. There is a gender dimension in climate change impacts and adaptation strategies along Agriculture Value Chain (AVC) in Nigeria. The chapter gender analyzed the aspects of climate change impacts; identified the indigenous and expert-based artificial adaptation strategies; assessed the gender differences in the adaptation strategies; and provided the gender implications of the indigenous adaptation strategies among actors along the AVC. The chapter adopted a value chain-based exploratory design with gender analysis as the narrative framework with Gender Response Theory as the theoretical background. There were gender differences in the production, economic, and social dimensions of the climate change impacts along the AVC. The indigenous climate change adaptation strategies were availability, low cost, and easily accessible; hence they were popularly adopted by male and female AVC actors. The adopted indigenous adaptation strategies challenged the social relations, influenced reordering of social and gender relations, participation, and power relation among the male and female actors along the AVC.
Primary Versus High School Students’ Environmental Attitudes and Pro-environmental Behavior: The Case of Embu County, Kenya
Authors: Nzengya Daniel M. , Rutere Francis
Published: May 2021

Degradation of natural resources exacerbates a country’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change. IPCC projections suggest that countries within the horn of Africa, which include Kenya, will suffer most from extreme climate change events, particularly more frequent and prolonged droughts. Women and children suffer disproportionately from the consequences of environmental degradation. Public participation is one of the strategies governments pursue to combat environmental degradation; however, there has been limited research to better understand students’ environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behavior to better inform student-led participatory designs. Students comprise a significant proportion of the population in Kenya. This research conducted in 2018 at Nginda Ward, Embu County, comprised a survey of 121 students: 58 high school and 63 primary school students. The research investigated students’ environmental knowledge, environmental attitudes, and pro-environmental behavior. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Multivariate statistics (MANOVA) were used to examine the relationship between the dependent variables and the participant’s gender and level of schooling. From the results obtained, the top five most frequently mentionedlocalenvironmental problems by the students sampled included water pollution, deforestation, air pollution, scarcity of safe sources for water for domestic use, and soil erosion. Inferential statistical results revealed that there is a significant relationship between students’ level of schooling and environmental attitudes,F = 11.79, (1, 120),p < 0.01. In addition, there is a significant relationship between students’ level of schooling and environmental knowledge,that is, perceived severity of environmental problems,F = 5.33, (1, 120),p < 0.05. Research findings further revealed a significant relationship between gender and environmental knowledge,F = 9.62, (1, 120),p < 0.01. However, gender differences in pro-environmental behavior were not statistically significant. Also, differences between primary and high school students’ pro-environmental behavior were insignificant.
Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Climate Change Adaptation in the Seychelles
Authors: Etongo Daniel , Amelie Vincent , Pouponneau Angelique , Filho Walter Leal
Published: May 2021

As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Seychelles is quite vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and adaptation is considered a national priority. Despite efforts to enhance its adaptive capacity, a number of barriers still hamper the adaptation process such as fragile institutions and inadequate governance to climate change, financial and human resource capacity constraints, and limited scientific knowledge and understanding of how climate change affects the country. A key barrier to climate change adaptation in the Seychelles is called “remote” or “legacy” barriers – linked to land use decisions made five decades ago during which wetlands were reclaimed for property development. Therefore, 80% of Seychelles’ critical infrastructures are located on the coastline and are exposed to floods, erosion, and sea level rise. Additionally, the pros and cons of hard and soft adaptation interventions in the Seychelles ranging from rock armoring, retaining wall, groynes to ecosystem-based adaptation actions such as timber piling, beach nourishment, dune management, rainwater harvesting, and mangrove and coral restoration are assessed with recommendations on the way forward. In other words, this chapter provides some examples of actions and strategies that may assist the island nations to improve on adaptation actions. An example that addresses partly the financial constrain is the Seychelles’ Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) that provide funding for medium- and large-scale project in the Seychelles since 2015.
Brachiaria Grass for Climate Resilient and Sustainable Livestock Production in Kenya
Authors: Njarui D. M. G. , Gatheru M. , Ghimire S. R.
Published: May 2021

Brachiaria grass is a “climate smart” forage that produces high amount of palatable and nutritious biomass for livestock and performs well in infertile soils, sequesters carbon in soil, and provides several environmental benefits. The objective of the study was to validate the productivity of Brachiaria grass and upscale the suitable cultivars for improved livestock feed resources in Kenya. We assume integrating Brachiaria grass into mixed crop-livestock system will enhance feed availability and livestock productivity, leading to increased food and nutrition security. Farmer participatory approach was adopted to evaluate and promote four Brachiaria grass (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, B. brizantha cvs. Xaraes, Piata, and MG-4) in the Central Highland and Eastern Midland of Kenya. The extension/advisory approaches used to promote Brachiaria grass cultivars included field days, village knowledge centres, agricultural shows, posters, and linkages with other institutions through multi-actor platform established under the InnovAfrica project. Generally, Brachiaria grass cultivars were more productive than the control (Rhodes grass) in most harvests reaching peak of 5.1–7.7 t/ha in the fifth harvest. For Rhodes grass, DM was less than 4 t/ha in all harvest and died by sixth harvest. Similarly, based on farmers’ evaluation using phenotypic traits, the Brachiaria grass cultivars had higher score than Rhodes grass except cv. Piata. The mean score ranged from 2.75 to 3.19 for Brachiaria cultivars, while for Rhodes the mean score was 2.63. Within 2 years of intervention, over 4000 farmers in the 2 project sites and additional 1500 farmers from other parts of the country have planted the Brachiaria grass. The demand for Brachiaria grass seeds is increasing due to benefits gained, e.g., increased milk production from dairy cattle fed on the grass. Our study will quantify the associated benefits from cultivation of Brachiaria grass with respect to a set of ecological, food and nutrition security, and social-economic indicators.
Attaining Food Security in the Wake of Climatic Risks: Lessons from the Delta State of Nigeria
Authors: Ebhuoma Eromose E.
Published: May 2021

Climate variability and change have undermined the poor rural households’ ability in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to engage in food production effectively – which comprises their primary source of livelihood – partly because it is predominantly rain-fed. Notwithstanding, the rural poor are not docile victims to climatic risks. They actively seek innovative ways to utilize their bundle of assets to reduce the negative effects of climatic risks to ensure household food security. Bundle of assets comprise the financial, human, physical, social, and natural assets owned by, or easily accessible to, an individual. Drawing on primary data obtained qualitatively in the Delta State of Nigeria, this chapter analyzes how Indigenous farmers utilize their bundle of assets to grow their food in the face of a rapidly changing climate. The results indicate that human and social assets played crucial roles in facilitating household food security. Also, social assets facilitated the procurement of other assets necessary to ensure continuity in food production, albeit farmers continue to live under the global poverty line. This chapter critically discusses the implications of these findings in relation to the attainment of both the first and second Sustainable Development Goals (no poverty and zero hunger) by 2030 in the Delta State.
Women Participation in Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration for Climate Resilience: Laisamis, Marsabit County, Kenya
Authors: Ojuok Irene , Ndayizigiye Tharcisse
Published: May 2021

Despite the fact that land degradation is both natural and human-induced, it is proven that human activities pose greatest threat and these include unsustainable land management practices such as destruction of natural vegetation, overcultivation, overgrazing, poor land husbandry, and excessive forest conversion. Other than reduced productivity, land degradation also leads to socioeconomic problems such as food insecurity, insufficient water, and regular loss of livestock which exacerbate poverty, conflicts, and gender inequalities that negatively impact mostly women and children especially the rural population. Increased efforts by governments, donors, and partners toward reversing land degradation through community-led, innovative, and effective approaches therefore remain to be crucial today than never before!

Farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) is a proven sustainable land management technology to restore degraded wasteland and improve depleted farmland. This approach has been tested across Africa with high success rates. In spite of the huge local, regional, and global efforts plus investments put on promoting FMNR across different landscapes among vulnerable communities for climate resilience, the implementation of such projects has not been as successful as intended due to slow women uptake and participation in the approach. In order of ensuring women who are mostly at highest risk to impacts of climate change enjoy the multiple benefits that come along with FMNR, the success rate for uptake of FMNR especially among women need to be enhanced.

This chapter seeks to explore drivers and barriers of women participation in uptake of FMNR for climate resilience. Findings will be shared from a 3-year project dubbed Integrated Management of Natural Resources for Resilience in ASALs and a Food and Nutrition project both in Laisamis, Marsabit County, Kenya. The program interventions on natural resource management for livelihoods seek to integrate gender and conflict prevention and prioritize sustainable, market-based solutions to address the persistent challenges. The chapter discusses findings, successes, and lessons learned from the actions and the requirement to position women as vulnerable groups at the center of initiatives designed to address the climate change crisis. The outcome of this chapter will enhance gender-responsive FMNR programing through awareness creation, effective organization/project designs, strategies, and plans together with advocacy and policy influence. Limitations of the study and main recommendations for future programing in similar contexts are also shared.
Climate Change Adaptation Options in Farming Communities of Selected Nigerian Ecological Zones
Authors: Ayanlade Ayansina , Oluwatimilehin Isaac Ayo , Oladimeji Adeola A. , Atai Godwin , Agbalajobi Damilola T.
Published: May 2021

This chapter examines the impacts of climate change on three tropical crops and assesses the climate change adaptation options adopted by rural farmers in the region. The study was conducted among farming communities settled in three major ecological zones in Nigeria. Over 37 years of data on rainfall and temperature were analyzed to examine climate change impacts on three major crops: rice, maize, and cassava. Farmers’ adaptive capacity was assessed with a survey. Climatic data, crop yields, and survey data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The relation between rainfall/temperature and crop yields was examined using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results show a high variation in the annual rainfall and temperature during the study period. The major findings from this research is that crops in different ecological zones respond differently to climate variation. The result revealed that there is a very strong relationship between precipitation and the yield of rice and cassava at p <0.05 level of significance. The results further showed low level of adaption among the rural farmers. The study concludes that rainfall and temperature variability has a significant impact on crop yield in the study area, but that the adaptive capacity of most farmers to these impacts is low. There is a need for enhancing the adaptation options available to farmers in the region, which should be the focus of government policies.
Plants and Plant Products in Local Markets Within Benin City and Environs
Authors: Osawaru Moses Edwin , Ogwu Matthew Chidozie
Published: May 2021

The vulnerability of agriculture systems in Africa to climate change is directly and indirectly affecting the availability and diversity of plants and plant products available in local markets. In this chapter, markets in Benin City and environs were assessed to document the availability of plants and plant products. Markets were grouped into urban, suburban, and rural with each group having four markets. Majority of the plant and plant product vendors were women and 88 plant species belonging to 42 families were found. Their scientific and common names were documented as well as the parts of the plant and associated products available in the markets. Most of the plant and plant products found in local markets belong to major plant families. Urban markets had the highest diversity of plants and plant products. Three categories of plants and plant products were documented. Around 67% of the plants and plant products were categorized as whole plant/plant parts, 28% as processed plant parts, while 5% as reprocessed plant/plant parts. It was revealed that 86% of these plants are used as foods, 11% are for medicinal purposes, while 3% is used for other purposes. About 35% of plants and plant products across the markets were fruits, which is an indication that city and environs are a rich source of fruits. The local knowledge and practices associated with the plants and plant products can contribute towards formulating a strategic response for climate change impacts on agriculture, gender, poverty, food security, and plant diversity.
Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Tipping Points in Botswana
Authors: Urich Peter , Li Yinpeng , Masike Sennye
Published: May 2021

Climate adaptation planning requires new ways of thinking and approaching the analysis of risks. Such thinking needs to be systemic in nature and practice/action-oriented while respecting the complexity of the physical and social sciences. Through this chapter on climate tipping points in Botswana, it is proposed that a generic and practice-oriented analysis framework be applied with a mathematical foundation including modeling methods based on complex science. The objective is to promote a framework that privileges a worldview to avoid biased and partial explanations of risks. An Institutional-Socio-Earth-Economical-Technical systems (ISEET) approach is based on a systems science philosophy for risk governance analysis, with particular emphasis on tipping points and emergence which are some of the key elements that can support sound adaptation planning. Through the lens of the biodiversity sector in Botswana, the complex interrelationships of ISEET principles are explained. They provide a new, efficient, and practical framework for moving rapidly from theory to action for planning and implementing climate change adaption projects.
Adaptation to Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges from Zambia
Authors: Rawlins Jonty , Kalaba Felix Kanungwe
Published: May 2021

Context appropriate adaptation interventions and strategies that respond directly to localized climate change stressors, hazards, and vulnerabilities are critical for the sustainable development of countries like Zambia. This chapter examines both localized and systemic climate change risk pathways and barriers to adaptation action in Zambia.

A three-staged methodology was applied, combining content analysis, focus group discussions, and expert interviews. Livelihood diversification was identified as the central adaptation option across Zambia, despite little empirical research detailing possible risks of diversification. The dominant adaptation discourse is focused specifically on diversifying within agriculture-based livelihoods. However, as all agricultural activities are impacted by climate change, diversification also needs to be explored in value-added or alternative sectors. With this, a weak policy framework and enabling environment are exacerbating cycles of poverty that underpin climate change vulnerability in Zambia. Moreover, maladaptation risks of existing diversification interventions are high as generic approaches often do not provide suitable options to complex and localized risk profiles.

To implement a sustainable transition toward climate resilient and compatible development in Zambia, the authors recommend that a systematic livelihood diversification strategy should be rolled out and future research programs designed to support this. Specifically, this necessitates a system-wide analysis of pre-identified livelihood diversification pathways that can be adapted to different scenarios given the current and future climate uncertainties at local scales. The approach should focus on harnessing the positive feedback loops for systematic change to build resilience, while minimizing the dominant risk pathways and eliminating persistent barriers that enable positive feedback loops driving vulnerability to climate change. Thorough stakeholder engagement and incremental development of diversification options, incentives, penalties, and other governance and/or policy mechanisms will be needed to support these processes.
Gendered Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts in Selected Counties in Kenya
Authors: Nzengya Daniel M. , Maguta John Kibe
Published: May 2021

Extreme climate change events such as frequent and prolonged droughts or floods associated with climate change can be very disruptive to peoples’ livelihoods particularly in rural settings, where people rely on the immediate environment for livelihood. Shocks in the people’s livelihoods can trigger diverse responses that include migration as a coping or adaption strategy. Migration takes many forms depending on the context and resources availability. Very few studies in Kenya have used qualitative analysis to bring up women’s voices in relation to gender, climate change, and migration, especially along hydrological gradient. This chapter presents results of qualitative research conducted from 58 participants in 2018 in three counties in Kenya, namely, Kiambu County, Machakos, and Makueni. The study sought to examine gender perceptions related to climate-induced migration, that is: whether climate change is perceived to be affecting women’s livelihood differently from that of men; examine in what ways experiences of climate induced migration differed for men and women; explore perceptions on the county government efforts to cope with climate-induced migration; and examine perceptions of the role of nongovernmental agencies in helping citizens cope with climate change. From the results obtained on ways in which climate change affected women livelihoods more than men had four themes: (1) women exerted more strain in domestic chores, child/family care, and in the farm labor; (2) women also experienced more time demands. The sources of water and firewood were getting more scarce leading to women travel long distances in search to fetch water and firewood; (3) reduced farm yields, hence inadequate food supply; and (4) the effects of time and strain demands on women was a contributory factor to women poor health and domestic conflicts. Several measures that the county government could take to assist women to cope with climate change-induced migration had five themes which include the following: (1) developing climate change mitigations, and reducing deforestation; (2) increasing water harvesting and storage; (3) develop smart agriculture through the use of drought-resistant crops and drought mitigation education; (4) encourage diversification of livelihoods; and finally (5) providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations such as orphans and the very poor. Thirdly, the measures mentioned that NGO’s could take to assist rural communities to cope with climate change-induced migration did not vary significantly from those mentioned for county government, except probably for a new theme of increasing advocacy for climate adaption policies.
Economic Analysis of Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies in Maize Production in Smallholder Farming Systems
Authors: Mujeyi Angeline , Mudhara Maxwell
Published: May 2021

Smallholder farmers who grow the staple maize crop rely mainly on rain-fed agricultural production, and yields are estimated to have decreased by over 50% largely due to climate change. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies, as adaptive strategies, are thus increasingly being promoted to overcome problems of declining agricultural productivity and reduced technical efficiency. This study analyzed profitability and profit efficiency in maize (Zea mays) production as a result of CSA technology adoption using cost-benefit analysis and stochastic profit frontier model. The study used data from a cross-sectional household survey of 386 households drawn from 4 districts in MashonalandEastprovince located in the northeastern part ofZimbabwe. Results from the cost-benefit analysis reveal that maize performs best under CSA technologies. The profit inefficiency model shows that extension contact, number of local traders, and adoption of CSA had significant negative coefficients indicating that as these variables increase, profit efficiency among maize-growing farmers increases. This implies that profit inefficiency in maize production can be reduced significantly with improvement in extension contact, access to farm gate/local markets, and adoption of CSA. The findings call for development practitioners to incorporate market linkages that bring buyers closer to the farmers, support for extension to be able to have frequent contacts with farmers, and promotion of CSA adoption.
Green Technology Approaches to Solid Waste Management in the Developing Economies
Authors: Hammed T. B. , Sridhar M. K. C.
Published: May 2021

The severity of extreme weather and climate change impacts around the world has been a public health concern in the last few decades. Apart from greenhouse gas generation, poor waste management exacerbates consequences of global warming such as flooding, lower crop yields, and the epidemic of diseases which can escalate into disastrous situations. The general public in developing economies sees wastes as valueless materials and disposes them through open burning, stream dumping, or as conveniently as possible. Also, the cutting of trees for firewood leads to deforestation and desertification that increase people’s vulnerability to climate change impact. Against this backdrop, there is a need for a paradigm shift toward developing indigenous technologies that convert solid waste to cheap and clean energy. Various innovations use the “green technology approach” in putting trash back into the value chain. Furthermore, the green technology approach has a great potential to enhance adaptation and resilience among climate change-displaced populations where they can set up microenterprise on useful end products. In this chapter, unique features of these technologies at the Renewable Resources Centre of the University of Ibadan, practice-oriented researches, and a case study at Kube-Atenda community Ibadan, Nigeria, are presented. This chapter is therefore set out to showcase examples of waste management initiatives and strategies that have been successfully implemented elsewhere by the authors. It also focuses on how some countries in the continent, with developing economies, may foster their resilience and their capacity to adapt to climate change.
Africa–European Union Climate Change Partnership
Authors: Olutola Oluwole
Published: May 2021

The need to heighten climate action momentum is a key outcome of the Climate Action Summit organized by the United Nations (UN) in September, 2019. The same concern reverberated in most of the presentations and discussions at the twenty-fifth Conference of Parties (COP 25) – the annual climate summit under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This chapter seeks to investigate the relevance of the call for more climate action in terms of what further climate priorities and strategies are required in the context of the existing climate change partnership between Africa and the European Union (EU). It relies on liberal institutionalism as its theoretical framework and data from a range of purposely selected secondary sources as reference points. Beyond arguing the case for more climate action to further strengthening the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES), particularly in the area of environmental partnership, this chapter emphasizes the need to align the required further climate action with the mitigation goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN transformative initiatives on the global climate action. It concludes with an insight into some policy recommendations, including the need for a dedicated and regional-based approach in tackling Africa’s climate change beyond the conventional worldwide UNFCCC (United Nations Convention on Climate Change) framework that has failed to deliver tangible results for some time past.
Gender and Climate Change Adaptation Among Rural Households in Nigeria
Authors: Ume Chukwuma Otum , Opata Patience Ifeyinwa , Onyekuru Anthony Nwa Jesus
Published: May 2021

Female- and male-headed rural households have unequal opportunities in climate change adaptation. Efforts in climate change adaptation in regions with deeply entrenched sociocultural norms should also account for the varied gender components of climate change. The broad objective of this study is to integrate gender issues into climate change adaptation thereby distilling lessons and evidence for policymakers on how to approach the necessary transformation of gender relations in climate change interventions. The study employed focus group discussions to uncover the structural factors undermining women’s adaptive capacity, thereby making them vulnerable to climate change impacts. In addition to this, in-depth interviews were also conducted. For the in-depth interviews, 27 farmers were sampled using a snowballing method, while four focus groups were carried out differently for male and female farmers. Ten extension personnel and ten representations from the ministry of agriculture were also surveyed using in-depth interviews. Results from the study showed that female farmers in the region were more vulnerable to climate change as a result of the deeply rooted cultural systems and unwarranted assumptions about women. Findings also suggested that women with high adaptive capacity were less vulnerable to climate impacts. We conclude that gender-responsive climate change adaptation is important in achieving balanced relations that will ensure climate resilience in more equitable and nonhierarchical ways.
Pyrolysis Bio-oil and Bio-char Production from Firewood Tree Species for Energy and Carbon Storage in Rural Wooden Houses of Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Kedir Miftah F.
Published: May 2021

The need for emission reduction for climate management had triggered the application of pyrolysis technology on firewood that yield bio-oil, bio-char, and syngas. The purpose of present study was to select the best bio-oil and bio-char producing plants from 17 firewood tree species and to quantify the amount of carbon storage. A dried and 1 mm sieved sample of 150 g biomass of each species was pyrolyzed in assembled setup of tubular furnace using standard laboratory techniques. The bio-oil and bio-char yields were 21.1–42.87% (w/w) and 23.23–36.40% (w/w), respectively. The bio-oil yield of Acacia seyal, Dodonea angustifolia, Euclea schimperi, Eucalyptus globulus, Casuarina equisetifolia, and Grevillea robusta were over 36% (w/w), which make the total yield of bio-oil and bio-char over 62% (w/w) of the biomass samples instead of the 12% conversion efficiency in traditional carbonization. The calorific value of firewood was 16.31–19.66 MJ kg–1 and bio-oil was 23.3–33.37 MJ kg–1. The use of bio-oil for household energy and bio-char for carbon storage reduced end use emission by 71.48–118.06%, which could increase adaptation to climate change in comparison to open stove firewood by using clean fuel and reducing indoor pollution.
Local Institutions, Collective Action, and Divergent Adaptation: Case from Agro-Pastoral Niger
Authors: Snorek Julie
Published: May 2021

Adaptation is a highly contextual process, framed by institutions. When one group’s adaptation to climate hazards reduces another’s adaptive capacity, this is called divergent adaptation. The nuances of divergent adaptation are revealed in how institutions influence divergent adaptation outcomes, either to exacerbate conflict or to bring about greater peace and cooperation. By examining the sometimes conflicting adaptations of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in Niger, this chapter describes the process of divergent adaptation through an institutional analysis from multiple scales. At the national scale, climate change adaptation policies and perspectives are entrenched in sedentarization politics vis-à-vis pastoral livelihoods. At the local scale, pastoralists take a defensive position as an adaptation pathway, to ensure secure passage with their livestock to water and pasture. However, in localities where local institutional actors have enhanced collective action arenas in which pastoral and agro-pastoral groups are represented, conflict dynamics are abated. Climate adaptation is not without conflict; however, local and sub-national institutions are critical to providing opportunities for collective action, cooperation, and peace in the context of divergent adaptation. Based on these findings, it is recommended that conflict and adaptation management and planning be integrated at multiple scales.
Intangible and Indirect Costs of Adaptation to Climate Variability Among Maize Farmers: Chirumanzu District, Zimbabwe
Authors: Kori Dumisani Shoko , Francis Joseph , Zuwarimwe Jethro
Published: May 2021

Maize farming in resettlement areas of Chirumanzu District of Zimbabwe is vulnerable to climatic variations. The Government of Zimbabwe encourages maize farmers in resettlement areas to adapt to climate variability through conservation farming and diversification among other measures. It is envisaged that the measures will improve maize farmers’ resilience and ability to safeguard food and nutrition security in the country. However, the process of adaptation is dynamic, complex, and multifaceted in nature. Several problems and dangers accompany the process of adaptation. The problems and dangers are associated with intangible and indirect costs. The focus of this chapter is to explore intangible and indirect costs associated with measures adopted by maize farmers in resettlement areas of Chirumanzu in Zimbabwe. Fifty-four maize farmers from four resettlement wards provided the data through semi-structured interviews. Diversification, changing planting dates, use of drought tolerant varieties were some of the measures adopted. Several problems and dangers accompanied the adaptation measures adopted. Intangible costs such as pain and suffering, embarrassment, ridicule, and stereotyping were experienced. Indirect costs including additional and unplanned costs were also encountered. This chapter concludes that intangible and indirect costs associated with adaptation may result in reduced adaptive capacity and resilience of maize farmers. Therefore, national governments should exercise extreme caution and desist from only encouraging farmers to adapt. Rather, they should consider intangible and indirect costs involved while providing solutions to reduce them to avoid situations where farmers are worse off while facilitating sustainable adaptation.
Do-It-Yourself Flood Risk Adaptation Strategies in the Neighborhoods of Kano City, Nigeria
Authors: Barau Aliyu , Wada Aliyu Sani
Published: May 2021

The urban poor in developing countries is hit hardest by climate-related extreme events such as flooding. Also, informal settlements lacking municipal support and immediate public response to flooding incur losses and thus exacerbate their sufferings. Left out or left alone, the vulnerable people from some parts of the ancient city of Kano develop their own efforts to protect themselves against the recurrent flood events. Hence, this chapter examines the nature of community-driven do-it-yourself (DIY) adaptation The data was collected through field-based surveys, interviews, and questionnaires to enable in-depth analysis of the problem from socioecological point of view. The results identified flood drivers to include the nature of surface topography, torrential rainfalls, lapses, and inadequacies in the availability of drainage infrastructure and human behavioral lapses in drainage management. On the other hand, the DIY adaptation manifests in the use of sandbags, de-siltation of drainage, construction of fences, and drainage diversions. It is important to highlight that DIY adaptation is a good strategy; however, municipal authorities must come to the aid of such communities and revisit the absence of urban planning by supporting them through capacity building to find more effective solutions to the challenges of the changing climate and environment.
Climate Variability and Rural Livelihood Security: Impacts and Implications
Authors: Popoola Kehinde Olayinka , Jerneck Anne , Ajayi Sunday Adesola
Published: May 2021

In a typical Nigerian village, the majority of the population comprises old people who are mostly economically unproductive due to reduced or loss of physical strength brought about by ageing and ill health. Many of these rural old people still work, and do so outside the formal sector, and are particularly susceptible to the effects of climate variability and change. Few studies have reported on climate change and the rural aged and there is a research gap as regards rural elderly peoples’ perception of climate variability impact on them. Since little is known about their perception of climate variability impacts and implications on the rural aged especially in relation to their livelihood activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, this chapter therefore examined the impact of climate variability on the livelihood security of the rural aged in different ecological zones of Nigeria.

Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used for data collection. Qualitative data were obtained through interviews with four aged and four aged women selected purposively in each rural community and analyzed using Content Analysis Method. Quantitative data were obtained through structured questionnaire administered to an aged male and an aged female population available in selected houses (the aged are people 60 years and over in age) in selected rural communities in selected ecological zones of Nigeria. Where there was no combination of the two (aged men and aged women), either of the two was also sufficient.

It was discovered that the ageds’ experiences of climate variability impact relate to the prevailing climate variability characteristic of each ecological zones. The impact on their livelihood in these zones is seen in terms of livestock death, lack of pastures for herds, scarcity of water, pest invasion, delayed planting crop failure, need for irrigation, water logging, drowning of small animals, human and animal illness. This means that planning decisions related to climate change issues should take cognizance of the views of the aged populations especially of those residing in rural areas as they are the most affected by the impact.
Climate Change Impact on Soil Moisture Variability: Health Effects of Radon Flux Density Within Ogbomoso, Nigeria
Authors: Oladapo Olukunle Olaonipekun , Amekudzi Leonard Kofitse , Oni Olatunde Micheal , Aremu Abraham Adewale , Osei Marian Amoakowaah
Published: May 2021

Climate affects the quantity of soil moisture within the surface of the earth and this is obtained by affecting the amount of radon flux density escaping from the land surface. This chapter contains the evaluation of climate change conditions as it affects the variability of soil water for the purpose of estimating the health effects of radon flux density within Ogbomoso metropolis. The simulated soil moisture content around Ogbomoso was done for a period of 34 years using the hydrological model, Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The calibration and validation of the SWAT model was done using the daily observed soil moisture content. The simulated daily soil moisture within Ogbomoso showed good performance when calibrated and validated. A 20 years prediction of the daily soil moisture content was done using the SWAT model. The estimation of the radon flux density for the study area was obtained using the simulated soil temperature and soil moisture from the SWAT model. In this chapter, the UNSCEAR radon flux formula was used for the radon flux estimate. The result showed that the UNSCEAR radon flux formula performed well in estimating the radon flux density in the study area. The mean value of the radon flux density of 15.09 mBqm−2 s−1 falls below the estimated world average of 33 mBqm−2 s−1 by UNSCEAR stipulated for land surface. The results showed that Ogbomoso region is not prone to high risk of radon exposure to the public. The estimation of the radon flux density value suggested that there is no radiological health hazard such as lung cancer or any other respiratory tract diseases to the inhabitant of Ogbomoso, Nigeria.
Climate Change Implications and Mitigation in a Hyperarid Country: A Case of Namibia
Authors: Mupambwa Hupenyu A. , Hausiku Martha K. , Namwoonde Andreas S. , Liswaniso Gadaffi M. , Haulofu Mayday , Mafwila Samuel K.
Published: May 2021

Namibia is the most arid country in sub-Saharan Africa characterized by the existence of two deserts, the Namib and the Kalahari. However, though being arid, agriculture still plays a critical role in Namibia’s economy, which includes both crop and animal production. Furthermore, the country is endowed with vast marine resources, with its marine waters being equivalent to two-thirds of Namibia’s terrestrial environment. In the face of climate change and a growing population, there is a need for Namibia to continue with its climate smart efforts which is critical in shifting the country from its current dependency on imports thus increasing the country’s food self-sufficiency. This chapter highlights the threats posed by climate change, both on land and the marine environment of the country, which has potential negative impacts on the economy. Current research being undertaken in Namibia on ocean acidification, sea water harvesting, climate smart agriculture, and atmospheric science, is also highlighted in this chapter. The information presented in this chapter will be critical in guiding climate change mitigation policies in hyperarid African countries, thus reducing the burden caused by the global change in climate. Aspects on the direction of future research on climate adaptation with a holistic and multidisciplinary approach are also proposed.
Social Vulnerability of Rural Dwellers to Climate Variability: Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Authors: Ekanem Jemimah Timothy , Umoh Idongesit Michael
Published: May 2021

For their livelihood activities, rural farming communities depend more on extractive capital. Their capacity to cultivate sufficiently for their family maintenance is greatly impeded by the absence of either temperature or rainfall quantity pattern or uniformity. The divergent effects of recent extreme weather events around the world, including within relatively small geographical areas, exemplify the unequal impacts of climate change on populations. Akwa Ibom State has been found vulnerable to extreme weather events, such as flooding, severe storms, and rising sea levels, leading to homelessness, poverty, conflicts, and war for millions of people. All of these have resulted in social disturbances and dislocations among rural populations, especially in coastal communities, making them more vulnerable to climate variability. In the field of social vulnerability in the state, not much has been achieved. This chapter analyzes the vulnerability of the rural population to climate variability; the socio-economic characteristics of the rural population; the index of social vulnerability of rural dwellers to climate variability; social vulnerability factors; and the rural population’s social vulnerability mitigation initiatives in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Social science approaches to human vulnerability draw critical attention to the root causes and factors why people are forced to respond to risks from climate change. A complex social approach to vulnerability is most likely to enhance mitigation and adaptation preparation efforts, given that vulnerability is a multidimensional mechanism rather than an invariable state.