Analysing the Coping Strategies of Climate Change by Small Scale Maize Farmers: A Case Study of Kafue District in Zambia

For the past few years, Zambia, like many other countries, has been facing the harsh effects of climate change. This has led to poor agricultural productivity/yields for many small-scale farmers, leading to unstable food prices and food insecurity in the country. This research analyzes the coping strategies of climate change by small scale maize farmers. The research was addressed by the following objectives; To establish coping strategies by small scale maize farmers; To examine the effectiveness of coping strategies used by small scale maize farmers; To assess how farmers adapt to climate change. A sample size of 50 respondents was selected from various maize farmers of Kafue district to help provide data. The research study used both qualitative and quantitative methods, surveys and focus group discussions. The key findings highlighted a diverse range of challenges faced by most small-scale maize farmers, including poor agricultural productivity/yields due to climate change, lack of financial support to effectively implement climate change coping strategies, and poor investment and saving patterns due to poor yields. 31.25% of the respondents said increased frequency and intensity of droughts reduce maize yields, 38.75% said unpredictable rainfall patterns lead to planting and harvest challenges, and 30% said that pests and diseases are more prevalent due to changing climates. Despite these challenges, some respondents expressed satisfaction in their agricultural activities due to some coping strategies they implemented to try and reduce the impact of climate change on their agricultural productivity. This study shows the various coping mechanisms employed by farmers such as the growing of climate resilient crops, investments patterns and saving patterns, and irrigation practices. The preliminary findings suggested that there is a significant negative relationship between agricultural productivity and climate change. Therefore, farmers are encouraged to implement various climate change coping strategies in order to improve their agricultural productivity. These findings hold crucial implications for policymakers, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions to enhance agricultural productivity despite harsh climate change conditions as a means to improve household wellbeing and promote sustainable development in the country.