World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2021, 9(1), 9-14
DOI: 10.12691/WJAR-9-1-2
Building Resilience to Climate Change through the Adoption of Grain and Vegetable Amaranth in Binga District of Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe
Francis Muromo1, , Tendai Madanzi2, Pepukai Manjeru2, Innocent Isaac3 and Jephias Matunhu1
1Tugwi Mukosi Multidisciplinary Research Institute (TMMRI), Midlands State University, Zvishavane Campus
2Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resource Management, Midlands State University, Main Campus, Gweru
3Ntengwe For Community Development (NCD), Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Pub. Date: November 13, 2020
Cite this paper
Francis Muromo, Tendai Madanzi, Pepukai Manjeru, Innocent Isaac and Jephias Matunhu. Building Resilience to Climate Change through the Adoption of Grain and Vegetable Amaranth in Binga District of Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe.
World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2021; 9(1):9-14. doi: 10.12691/WJAR-9-1-2
Abstract
This paper seeks to popularize and commercialize grain and vegetable amaranth (mowa in Shona, imbuya in IsiNdebele and bboonko in Tonga) by local farmers in Manjolo and Sikalenge wards in Binga District of Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe. The paper is based on a baseline survey of randomly selected 74 farmers in the two wards. The paper argues that the introduction of grain and vegetable amaranth in Binga District, will improve nutrition security for humans and livestock. Findings of the study indicate that the majority of the respondents knew the local vegetable amaranth types (various weedy species) but did not know the white version (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) grown also for its grain value. Results also indicate that the weedy species germinate naturally in the District and local communities in the two wards viewed these as a weed and had therefore not bothered about the crop because the knowledge about its potential markets was not known. The paper recommends the adoption of grain and vegetable amaranth in arid areas such as Binga because of its higher nutritional quality and quantity than traditional crops.
Keywords
drought, food insecurity, rain-fed, nutritional resilience
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
References
[1] | Temidayo GA (2011) Factors influencing the perception and choice of adaptation measures to climate change among farmers in Nigeria. Evidence from farm households in Southwest Nigeria. Environmental Economic. 2:4. Pp 74-83. |
|
[2] | Manjeru P (2017). Influence of abiotic stress on CIMMYT provitamin A germplasm. A PhD Thesis submitted to University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. |
|
[3] | IPCC, 2012. Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation. A Special Report of Working Groups I and II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D. Mastrandrea, K.J. Mach, G.-K. Plattner, S.K. Allen, M. Tignor, and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 582 pp. |
|
[4] | Svodziwa M (2015). THE FEASIBILITY OF SMALL GRAINS AS AN ADOPTIVE STRATEGY TO CLIMATE CHANGE. RJOAS, 5(41), pp 40-55. |
|
[5] | Chitongo L (2019). Rural livelihood resilience strategies in the face of harsh climatic conditions. The case of ward 11 Gwanda, South, Zimbabwe. Cogent Social Sciences (2019), 5: 1617090. |
|
[6] | Shumba, E.N, Wallgren, V.L, Calrson, A, Kuona, W and Moyo, N. (2012). Community Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment in Miombo Woodlands. WWF-World Wide Fund for Nature. |
|
[7] | Donald Brown, Rabecca Rance Chanakira, Kudzai Chatiza, Mutuso Dhliwayo, David Dodman, Medicine Masiiwa, Davison Muchadenyika, Prisca Mugabe and Sherpard Zvigadza. (2012). Climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation in Zimbabwe. IIED Climate Change Working Paper No. 3, |
|
[8] | UNDP (2010). UNDP Community Water Initiative. Fostering Water Security and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. 33 pp. |
|
[9] | Jiri O, P Mafongoya, P &, P Chivenge P (2015). Smallholder Farmer Perceptions on Climate Change and Variability: A Predisposition for their Subsequent Adaptation Strategies. J Earth Sci Clim Change 6: 277. |
|
[10] | Paavola, J. (2008). Livelihoods, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in Morogoro, Tanzania. Environmental Science & Policy, 11(7), 642-654. |
|
[11] | UNDP. (2014). Sustaining human progress: Reducing vulnerabilities and building resilience (Human Development Report 2014). New York: United Nations Development Program. |
|