Small scale farmers perceived impacts of climate change on subsistence crop production in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Climate change is predicted to adversely affect agricultural yields, particularly in African countries where crop production relies heavily on environmental factors such as rainfall and temperature. However, there have only been a limited number of studies on the small-scale farmers perceptions on the impacts of climate change. This study explored small-scale farmers’ perceptions of the impacts of changing rainfall and temperature patterns on subsistence crop production. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in Capricorn District of Limpopo Province.  Data were collected by using interview schedule from purposely selected 65 small-scale farmers. Results: The findings revealed that majority (96%) of the farmers had knowledge about the impacts of rising temperature and decreased rainfall on subsistence crop production. The most notable impact reported is poor subsistence crop production. It is recommended that farmers’ knowledge of the impacts of climate change on crop production be complemented by meteorological data for the local climate, to increase their knowledge on climate change and its future effects on agriculture. Conclusion: An exploration of the small-scale farmers’ perceptions of climate change impacts on subsistence crop production is crucial to improving climate change impact assessment and informing the design of mitigation and adaptation strategies.