According to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (Le Treut et al. 2007, 96), climate is defined as average weather over a period of time, ranging from months to millions of years. Climate is usually described in terms of the mean and variability...

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country with a total area of 390,580 square kilometers. The country shares borders with Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Namibia. Before 2000, Zimbabwe was one of the most industrialized economies in Africa south of the Sahara, with an extensive...

Malawi is located in the eastern part of southern Africa between latitude 9°22′ and 17°7′ South and between longitude 32°40′ and 35°55′ East. Its total area is 118,483 square kilometers, of which 94,275 square kilometers is land, while 24,208 square kilometers...

In examining agricultural vulnerability to climate change in South Africa, we see that an important factor is the enormous existing socioeconomic disparity in access to resources, poverty levels, and capacities to adapt. Recent research results suggest that the South African farming sector is...

Lesotho is located on the plateau of southern Africa, with altitudes ranging from about 1,400 meters to more than 3,480 meters above sea level. This position exposes the country to the influences of both the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans, with wide differences in temperature. Annual...

Agriculture in Africa south of the Sahara is becoming increasingly risky due to extreme climate variability. In recent times, scientific studies have strongly suggested that many developing countries face substantial environmental and social challenges, with food insecurity high on the list...

Africa, in general, is vulnerable to climate change, mostly due to its dependence on agriculture. Mozambique is a prime example. Agriculture is an important sector of the country’s economy, and, as indicated by the 2007 FAO country factsheet, around 80 percent of the population (about...

In this chapter we assess the vulnerability of Botswana’s agriculture to climate change, with special emphasis on impacts on the poor. The agriculture sector is inherently vulnerable to climate change, and Botswana’s semiarid climate already severely limits agricultural production....

Modeling the impacts of climate change presents a complex challenge arising from the wide-ranging processes underlying the working of markets, ecosystems, and human behavior. The analytical framework used in this monograph integrates modeling components that range from the macro to the micro to...

Southern African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis examines the food security threats facing eight of the countries that make up southern Africa — Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe — and explores how climate...