Transcript Water Stress and Food Security: Adaptive Strategies in Freshwater

Adapting to climate, water and health stress:
Insights from Limpopo, South Africa.
Gina Ziervogel, Frank Thomalla, Anna Taylor,
Takeshi Takama, Claire Quinn, Mandla Msibi
Stockholm Environment Institute, University of Cape Town
[email protected]
Areas of investigation
• Multiple stresses:
climate, water, health, food security
– Perception of prevailing risks
– Prioritisation of responses to dynamic risks
– Individual/household, village and district level
perceptions of various stresses and responses
• Adaptation to stresses
– Opportunities and constraints for managing stress
– Possibilities for integrated adaptive response to stress
within and between scales.
Case study: Sekhukhune
Sekhukhuneland ISRD Node
Fetakgomo
%
%
JOBSKOP TUBAT SE
Greater Tubatse
PEN GE
%
SESESEHU
%
KR
OMELLENBOO G
% GAM ANKOPANE
%
% MOHLATET SI
% GASER OKA
GASEPHOKA
%
MAHU BAH UBA
% GA-PH ALA
% GA-M ASEM OLA
%
%
MAMOHLAKANE
DRIEKOP
%
%
TSATANE %
MASEHLANENG
BU RGERSF ORT
% MANGANEN G
BR AND DRAAI
%
%
%
GA-PH AHLA
JANE FU RSE % SEKH UKHU NE % ST EELPO OR T
%
%
%
%
KEN NEDY'S VALE
MORO NE
OH RIGSTAD
GA-M OLOI
MANO TOLW ANEN G
%
%
%
Makhuduthamaga
Limpopo
Greater Marble Hall
% GA-M AKH ARANKAN A
%
MATLEREKENG
MARBLE H ALL
%
% MAMPHOKGO
HEREF OR D
%
%
MATLALA
%
MPHELENG
PAT ANTSW AN E
% GA-PAMAD I
%
TAFELKO P
%
%
MONSTER LUS
MOTETEM A
%
GR O BLER SDAL
%
% ELAN DSDO OR N
% NTW AN E
THOT O
% MMAPHO KO
%
%
%MALEOSKOP
ER TS %
Mpumalanga
%
ROOSSEN EKAL
RO OIKR AAL
%
MO SSIESDAL
%
Greater Groblersdal
%
Towns & Villages
Provincial boundary
0
20
40
Sekhukhuneland ISRD node
60 Kilometers
N
Municipal boundaries
Water in Sekhukhune
Sekhukhune
District
%
Below Basic RDP level
(Tanker, borehole,
natural, other)
46.9%
Basic Access
(Public tap)
Intermediate access
(On site)
Full access
(Inside dwelling)
33.5%
11.3%
8.3%
Water: central to development in the district
– supply of basic services
– water for agriculture
(commercial agriculture, small-scale market-oriented
agriculture and subsistence)
– water for expanding mining sector
Village level:
opportunities and constraints
Climate
Rainfall
variability
Government
investment
Grants and
pensions
Water
Communal
garden
Home
garden
Community
projects
Formal
government
work
opportunities
Employment
Markets
Social
networks
Food
security
Health
Education
and training
Changes to
household
structure
Changing
household
demands
Migration
Quality and
access to
health care
Climate/water/food and livelihoods
More money is available when it rains, because we
get produce from our home garden and save on
water bills.
Villager from Mohlotsi
We used to grow some food
but now we buy everything.
Villager from Mohlotsi
Coping/adapting at household level
Coping strategies
Adaptation strategies
Eat less preferred food
Work elsewhere
Reduce number of meals a day
Engage in a village project
Limit portion size of meals
Contact district for support
Rely on piecework
Go on a training course at own
cost
Borrow food
Try to access a grant
Eat elsewhere
Start/improve home garden
Purchase food on credit
Examples of perceived strategies to address stress
Mohlotsi
Ga-Selala
Municipal and distric t
government
Challenging climatic conditions/ Water scarcity
Irrigation systems,
Drought resistant crop
varieties
Transition to less
agriculturally based
livelihoods
Lack of employment opportunities
Generation of employment
Improved regulation of
within the village,
recruitment procedures in
the mining sector to ensure
Support for development
equal opportunities
initiatives,
Coordination of skills,
training and opportunities
Increase dam capacity to
capture more water;
Build new dam
Expansion of mining
activities;
Support of the growth of
secondary industries:
processing of raw materials
and manufacturing, and
services
Investment in tourism
activities
District development foci
District level
–
–
–
–
Mining  water
Agriculture  water
Tourism  limited water
Establishment of regional development
nodes limited water
– Training programmes
Climatic change is not something we can stop.
Limpopo is a province of extremes, swinging
between drought and flood.
But this new drier future is a whole new thing. ..We
cannot just sit and wait for it to arrive. The
government is proactively and aggressively
driving new policies to stretch every drop of
water we have as far as possible.
Premier of Limpopo, Mr. Moloto,
Mail and Guardian, 2006
Adaptation to climate change
• In Sekhukhune climate change impacts will be
experienced through water-related stress
– Many agricultural assessments of need for adaptation
– Limited examples of the implications for the water sector
• Climate change impact and adaptation assessment
– Commitment at national and provincial level
– Non-existent at district level
– Handful of local examples
Need for adaptive strategies
in water management
• Effective management of water links to livelihood
security
– Directly  agriculture and livestock; individual and communal
– Indirectly  employment opportunities, food prices
• Yet, water decisions made by stakeholders at
provincial and district level
– around key district economic activities
– Impact of these on poverty not necessarily direct
– Levels of poverty in rural communities are high and shorterterm solutions needed
Adaptation to multiple stresses
• Acknowledge differing perceptions
• Target municipal level
• Integrated activities at the government level
– Between sectors
– Avoid maladaptation
Adaptation to climate change in Sekhukhune
• Municipal level
– Recognition of potential impact of climate change
• Exploration of adaptation strategies
– Local projects
– Integrated in municipal and district planning
– Support from national level
• Examples
–
–
–
–
–
Supporting non-agricultural livelihood activities
Value-added services
Rainwater harvesting
Reassess infrastructure standards
Provisions for climate variability in water management plans
Future pathways
• Unemployment and food insecurity
– urgent livelihood needs to address
• Adaptation to multiple stress
– recognition of different needs
– use strengths of different scales
– links between issues not clearly articulated
• Adaptation to climate change
– adaptive management of water
• Policy and operational frameworks
– not in place to address this
thanks…
tobela
[email protected]