Climate Change Resilience in Rural Southern Africa : Dynamics, Prospects and Challenges

In rural Southern Africa, the livelihoods of millions are intricately linked to the land, water, and ecosystems that are increasingly under threat from climate change. This intensifying threat has exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities, rendering the need for resilience building more critical than ever. Emerging scholarship on climate change strategies suggest that building resilience in human and environmental systems is the ideal strategy for combating the climate change induced catastrophes. Rural Southern Africa has witnessed both isolated and coordinated efforts by various stakeholders to bolster climate resilience, yielding varying degrees of success. This book offers a comprehensive examination of the rural Southern African landscape, probing the intricate dynamics, prospects, and challenges associated with building climate resilience. It examines how traditional knowledge, innovative practices (including Artificial Intelligence), and sustainable development strategies are converging to create resilient systems. The book further highlights the critical role of local communities in addressing climate challenges and offers actionable insights for a more resilient future. It emerged that some interventions have managed to build resilience of at-risk households, communities and systems, while others have faced significant challenges. In general, climate resilience building remains complex and lagging due to increased vulnerabilities induced by global disease emergencies such as COVID-19, increased poverty due to global recessions, poor governance, corruption and several other internal and external factors. Therefore, the need to increase cooperation amongst Southern African states to pursue common development goals cannot be overemphasized. Rich with case studies, expert analyses, and systematic reviews, this book is an essential read for policymakers, researchers, and those invested in the future of rural Southern Africa.

Mark Matsa is a Full Professor in climate change, environmental change and community development with emphasis on disaster risk management and community resilience building initiatives with Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. He has worked with the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund and UNDP in the Enhancing Community Resilience and Sustainability (ECRAS) project in Chiredzi and Mwenezi Districts (2017-2020), and also the Enhancing Community Resilience and Inclusive Market Systems (ECRIMS) (2019-2021) in Mberengwa and Zvishavane Districts. He has also worked  with the University of Reading and the World Food Programme on the Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) in Rushinga, Chipinge, Mwenezi, Mangwe and Masvingo Districts of Zimbabwe as well as with the Government of Zimbabwe and UNDP on the Green Climate Fund Project: Building Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Zimbabwe. Prof. Matsa has over 70 publications including several books.

Dr. Chapungu is a research fellow in the Exxaro Chair for Climate and Sustainability Transitions, Institute for Corporate Citizenship, UNISA. He is a Geography and Environmental Science specialist with 15 years of teaching, research and consultancy experience in climate change, sustainable development and Environmental resource management. He served in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s AR6 working group III as a contributing author, chapter scientist and expert reviewer. He also serves as an associate editor for Tourism, Climate and Global Environmental Consequences, Frontiers Publishers. Dr. Chapungu is also active in the development sector where he translates theories into practical realities to transform communities, serving as the board Chair for the programs committee of Zimbabwe Council of Churches, working on climate change issues in Zimbabwe.

Godwell Nhamo is a Full Professor and Chief Researcher under Exxaro Chair in Climate and Sustainability Transitions at the University of South Africa. He is a National Research Foundation C1-Rated researcher undertaking research in the fields of COVID-19 and Tourism, Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Prof. Nhamo has published 18 books (14 edited and 4 co-authored), over 101 journal articles, and since 2013, graduated 13 PhDs and hosted 11 postdoctoral fellows. Prof. Nhamo is also one of the experts for the Non-economic Losses Group under the UNFCCC Warsaw International Mechanisms on Loss and Damage. Prof. Nhamo has over 26 years of experience in the academic and consulting spaces of engagements and is an advocate of open access educational resources.