Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Determinants of smallholder farmers’ perceptions of impact of climate change on beef production in Malawi

Climatic Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Climate change is projected to intensify and smallholder farmers will be the most affected because they entirely rely on climate-sensitive livelihoods and have low adaptive capacity. Appropriate coping strategies for smallholder farmers depend on an accurate description of the effects of agro-ecological and farmers’ socio-economic factors on climate change. A total of 182 structured questionnaires were administered to determine socio-economic factors affecting smallholder farmers’ perceptions of impacts of climate change on beef production in Malawi. Male heads had a higher perception of having increased cattle feed intake and decreased mortality than female heads suggesting that the former had better control and access to animal feed and health resources. Young farmers had a greater perception of experiencing decreases in cattle water supply than adults implying that they lacked experience required to cope with water scarcity. More educated household heads had a higher perception of experiencing decreased tick loads and increased cattle sales than less educated household heads as they are posited to have increased knowledge of parasite control and understanding of market dynamics and expected to make better marketing decisions. High-income farmers had a lower perception of having decreased rangeland biomass and growth rates than low-income farmers indicating that they had capital to acquire resources required to improve rangeland and cattle production. Gender, age, education and income level were the major socio-economic factors that influenced farmers’ perceptions of impact of climate change on beef production. This highlights the importance of incorporating socio-economic factors when devising climate change adaptation and vulnerability reduction strategies for smallholder beef producers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adger WN, Dessai S, Goulden M, Hulme M, Lorenzoni I, Nelson DR, Wreford A (2009) Are there social limits to adaptation to climate change? Clim Chang 93:335–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angassa A, Oba G (2007) Relating long-term rainfall variability to cattle population dynamics in communal rangelands and a government ranch in southern Ethiopia. Agric Syst 94:715–725

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Archer van Garderen ERM (2011) (Re) Considering cattle farming in Southern Africa under a changing climate. Weather Clim Soc 3:249–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banda LJ, Kamwanja LA, Chagunda MGG, Ashworth CJ, Roberts DJ (2012) Status of dairy cow management and fertility in smallholder farms in Malawi. Trop Anim Health Prod 44:715–727

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bembridge TJ (1984) A systems approach study of agricultural development problems in Transkei. PhD thesis, University of Stellenbosch, Bloemfontein, South Africa

  • Boogaard BK, Waithanjib E, Pooleb EJ, Cadilhon J (2015) Smallholder goat production and marketing: a gendered baseline study from Inhassoro District Mozambique NJAS - Wageningen. J Life Sci 74–75:51–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryan E, Ringler C, Okoba B, Roncoli C, Silvestri S, Herrero M (2011) Coping with climate variability and adapting to climate change in Kenya : household and community strategies and determinants. Report to the World Bank

  • Cantelaube P, Terres JM (2005) Seasonal weather forecasts for crop yield modelling in Europe. Tellus A 57:476–487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Debela N, Mohammed C, Bridle K, Corkrey R, McNeil D (2015) Perception of climate change and its impact by smallholders in pastoral/agropastoral systems of Borana, South Ethiopia. SpringerPlus 4:236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dzanja J, Kapondamgaga P, Tchale H (2013) Value chain analysis of beef in Central and Southern Malawi (Casestudies of Lilongwe and Chikhwawa Districts). Int J Bus Soc Sci 4:92–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullerton AS (2009) A conceptual framework for ordered logistic regression models. Sociol Meth Res 38:306–347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gbetibouo GA (2009) Understanding farmers’ perceptions and adaptations to climate change and variability: the case of the Limpopo Basin, South Africa. IFPRI Discussion Paper #00849

  • Gregory NG (2010) How climatic changes could affect meat quality. Food Res Int 43:1866–1873

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hendricks L, Chidiac S (2011) Village savings and loans: a pathway to financial inclusion for Africa’s poorest households. Enterprise Dev Microfin 22:134–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

  • Jones PG, Thornton PK (2009) Croppers to livestock keepers: livelihood transitions to 2050 in Africa due to climate change. Environ Sci Policy 12:427–437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Juana JS, Kahaka Z, Okurut FN (2013) Farmers’ perceptions and adaptations to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa: a synthesis of empirical studies and implications for public policy in African Agriculture. J Agric Sci 5:121–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasulo V, Chikagwa-Malunga S, Chagunda M, Roberts D (2012) The perceived impact of climate change and variability on smallholder dairy production in northern Malawi. Afr J Agric Res 7:4830–4837

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Makhura M, Kirsten J, Delgado C (2001) Transaction costs and smallholder participation in the maize market in the Northern Province of South Africa. Seventh Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Maize Conference, 11–15 February, Pretoria, South Africa

  • Mapiye C, Mupangwa JF, Mugabe PH, Chikumba N, Poshiwa X, Foti R (2006) A review of forage legume research for rangeland improvement in Zimbabwe. Trop Grassl 40:145–149

  • Mapiye C, Chimonyo M, Dzama K (2009a) Seasonal dynamics, production potential and efficiency of cattle in the sweet and sour communal rangelands in South Africa. J Arid Environ 73:529–536

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mapiye C, Chimonyo M, Dzama K, Raats JG, Mapekula M (2009b) Opportunities for improving Nguni cattle production in the smallholder farming systems of South Africa. Liv Sci 124:196–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Megersa B, Markemann A, AngassaA OJO, Piepho HP, Valle Zaráte A (2014) Impacts of climate change and variability on cattle production in southern Ethiopia: perceptions and empirical evidence. Agric Syst 130:23–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moloi MJ (2008) A comparison of socioeconomic characteristics that determine the farm income of emerging livestock and horticultural farmers in South Africa. MSc Thesis, Unpublished. Department of Agricultural Economics University of Limpopo, South Africa

  • Morton JF (2007) The impact of climate change on smallholder and subsistence agriculture. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104:19680–19685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhebi AW, Perry BD (1993) Economic implications of the control of East Coast fever in eastern, central and southern Africa. Iinternational Livestock Centre for Africa in Future of livestock industries in East and Southern Africa; by International Livestock Centre for Africa. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp 107–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Mushunje A, Belete A, Fraser G (2003) Technical efficiency of resettlement farmers of Zimbabwe. Contributed paper presented at the 41st Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economic Association of South Africa (AEASA), Pretoria, South Africa, 13 pp

  • Nardone A, Ronchi B, Lacetera N, Ranieri MS, Bernabucci U (2010) Effects of climate changes on animal production and sustainability of livestock systems. Liv Sci 130(57):69

    Google Scholar 

  • Ngongondo C, Xu CY, Gottschalk L, Alemaw B (2011) Evaluation of spatial and temporal characteristics of rainfall in Malawi: a case of data scarce region. Theor Appl Climatol 106:79–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niles MT, Lubel M, Brow M (2015) How limiting factors drive agricultural adaptation to climate change. Agric Ecosyst Environ 200:178–185. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2014.11.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obi A, Pote P (2012) Technical constraints to market access for crop and livestock farmers in Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape province. In: van Schalkwyk HD, Groenewald JA, Fraser GCG, Obi A, van Tilburg A (eds) Unlocking markets to smallholders: lessons from South Africa. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen, pp 91–112

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds L (2006) Malawi: country pasture/forage resource profiles. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS (2012) SAS user’s guide: statistics. SAS for windows. release 9.2. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Tambi NE, Mukhebi WA, Maina WO, Solomon HM (1999) Probit analysis of livestock producers’ demand for private veterinary services in the high potential agricultural areas of Kenya. Agric Syst 59:163–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tarawali S, Herrerob M, Descheemaeker K, Gringsd E, Blümmel M (2011) Pathways for sustainable development of mixed crop livestock systems: taking a livestock and pro-poor approach. Liv Sci 139:11–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thornton PK, Herrero M (2014) Climate change adaptation in mixed crop–livestock systems in developing countries. Global Food Sec 3:99–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thornton PK, van de Steeg J, Notenbaert A, Herrero M (2009) The impacts of climate change on livestock and livestock systems in developing countries: a review of what we know and what we need to know. Agric Syst 101:113–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Bossche P, Coetzer JAW (2008) Climate change and animal health in Africa. Revue Scientifique etTechnique (International Office of Epizootics) 27:551–562

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood L, Moriniere L (2013) Malawi climate change vulnerability assessment. Retrieved from http://community.eldis.org/.5b9bfce3/Malawi VAFinal Report_12Sep13_FINAL.pdf

Download references

Acknowledgements

Special thank you goes to the farmers and extension officers in Salima, Lilongwe, Dowa and Mzimba districts of Malawi for cooperating and giving invaluable information for the study. We are grateful to The Royal Embassy of Kingdom of Norway for funding the study through Capacity Building for Managing Climate Change Programme in Malawi.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cletos Mapiye.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chingala, G., Mapiye, C., Raffrenato, E. et al. Determinants of smallholder farmers’ perceptions of impact of climate change on beef production in Malawi. Climatic Change 142, 129–141 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-017-1924-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-017-1924-1

Keywords

Navigation