http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/37455 Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:48 GMT 2013-05-21T12:19:48Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49197 Title: Participatory Action Adaptation: Tools for increasing climate change capacity and preparedness at the local government level Authors: Fairhurst, Lucinda; Roswell, Priscilla; Chihumbiri, Faith Abstract: Climate change is expected to have severe physical, social, environmental and economic impacts on cities worldwide, both directly and indirectly. These impacts are expected to have a disproportionate effect on those living in poverty in developing countries, particularly Africa. In July 2009, ICLEI Africa Secretariat initiated the Five City Adaptation Network project. Already the project is providing some useful and insightful information on the current understanding and experiences of the threats associated with climate change, adaptation, and climatic data resources available in Southern Africa. Due to the variety of respective governance and decision making processes of the cities, the project utilizes a number of entry points (i.e. different sectors or departments) in order to ensure that the project is aligned to areas that are prioritized by the cities and were projects of similar nature are already underway. The use of these tools has assisted and improved the interaction with the various key stakeholders around the topic of climate change and adaptation, whilst moving towards enhancing engagement and holistic decision making processes covering: climatic risks, sectoral linkages and the development of locally appropriate adaptation mechanisms. Through this project, a number of mechanisms and tools have been developed to understand the risks, impacts and vulnerabilities at the local level, and to prioritize the climatic variable/s that is/are currently impacting the city services, infrastructure and reliability as service providers (i.e. infrastructure, day to day service delivery and livelihoods of the local population). This paper describes some of the tools that have been recently developed by the ICLEI Africa team and are being used in Southern Africa to develop and increase capacity around the terms and complexities pertaining to climate change. These tools will also enable the identification of local climatic risks and locally appropriate adaptation options that are likely to increase the resilience of African local governments and communities. Description: Conference proceeding from the following session title: Urban vulnerability assessments in developing countries: Lessons from tool makers and field testers Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49197 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48746 Title: Review of phytoplankton dynamics in tropical African lakes Authors: Ndebele-Murisa, Mzime R.; Musil, Charles F.; Raitt, Lincoln Abstract: This paper provides a synthesis of current knowledge on phytoplankton production, seasonality, and stratification in tropical African lakes and considers the effects of nutrient enrichment and the potential impacts of climate warming on phytoplankton production and composition. Tropical African lakes are especially sensitive to climate warming as they experience wide fluctuations in the thermocline over a narrow range of high water temperatures. Recent climate warming has reduced phytoplankton biomass and production in the lakes. A decline in the production of palatable chlorophytes and an increase in cyanobacteria has led to reduced zooplankton production and a consequent decline in fish stocks, all of which can be associated with the elevated water temperatures. This indicates that even moderate climate warming may destabilise phytoplankton dynamics in tropical African lakes, thereby reducing water quality and food resources for planktivorous fish, with consequent negative impacts on human livelihoods. Description: Article #64 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48746 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48604 Title: Decline of Kapenta fish stocks in Lake Kariba : a case of climate changing? Authors: Ndebele-Murisa, Mzime Regina; Mashonjowa, Emmanuel; Hill, Trevor Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/48604 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/46449 Title: Competing use of organic resources, village-level interactions between farm types and climate variability in a communal area of NE Zimbabwe Authors: Rufino, M.C.; Dury, J.; P. Tittonell; van Wijk, M.T.; Herrero, M.; Zingore, S.; Mapfumo, P.; Giller, K.E. Abstract: In communal areas of NE Zimbabwe, feed resources are collectively managed, with herds grazing on grasslands during the rainy season and mainly on crop residues during the dry season, which creates interactions between farmers and competition for organic resources. Addition of crop residues or animal manure is needed to sustain agricultural production on inherently poor soils. Objectives of this study were to assess the effect of village-level interactions on carbon and nutrient flows, and to explore their impact on the long-term productivity of different farm types under climate variability. Crop and cattle management data collected in Murewa Communal area, NE Zimbabwe was used together with a dynamic farm-scale simulation model (NUANCES-FARMSIM) to simulate village-level interactions. Simulations showed that grasslands support most cattle feed intake (c. 75%), and that crop residues produced by non-cattle farmers sustain about 30% of the dry season feed intake. Removal of crop residues (0.3– 0.4 t C ha 1 yr 1) from fields of non-cattle farmers resulted in a long-term decrease in crop yields. Noaccess to crop residues of non-cattle farmers increased soil C modestly and improved yields in the long-term, but not enough to meet household energy requirements. Harvest of grain and removal of most crop residues by grazing cattle caused a long-term decline in soil C stocks for all farm types. The smallest decrease ( 0.5 t C ha 1) was observed for most fertile fields of cattle farmers, who manure their fields. Cattle farmers needed to access 4–10 ha of grassland to apply 3 t of manure ha 1 yr 1. Rainfall variability intensifies crop–livestock interactions increasing competition for biomass to feed livestock (short-term effect) or to rehabilitate soils (long-term effect). Prolonged dry seasons and low availability of crop residues may lead to cattle losses, with negative impact in turn on availability of draught power, affecting area under cultivation in consecutive seasons until farmers re-stock. Increasing mineral fertiliser use concurrently with keeping crop residues in fertile fields and allocating manure to poor fields appears to be a promising strategy to boost crop and cattle productivity at village level. The likelihood of this scenario being implemented depends on availability of fertilisers and decision of farmers to invest in rehabilitating soils to obtain benefits in the long-term. Adaptation options cannot be blind to what occurs beyond field and farm level, because otherwise recommendations from research and development do not fit the local conditions and farmers tend to ignore them. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/46449 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/46033 Title: Building adaptive capacity to cope with increasing vulnerability due to climate change : final technical report - Zimbabwe (30 September 2010) Authors: Mugabe, F.T.; Munodawafa, A.; Dimes, J.; Nanja, D.H.; Carberry, P. Abstract: The project objective was to develop educational curricula and research and extension competencies of present and future scientists to better assist farmers identify technology options that enhance their adaptive capacity to cope with risks and opportunities associated with climate change and variability. Research conducted by five PhD (two women) and four MPhils (one woman) students contributed to project outputs. Baseline data to describe cropping system and management under current climate variability and farmer perceptions about climate change across 4 districts of Zimbabwe and Zambia was collected and analysed. Indigenous knowledge of climate and indicators to seasonal conditions were also documented and compared with scientific forecasts. Seven workshops were held to educate farmers and extension agents on interpretation of the Seasonal Climate Forecast (SCF) and explore together its application in making cropping decisions. Management options in response to the SCF were then tested in participatory on-farm trials. Most smallholder farmers (at 3 of the 4 sites) were not aware of the existence of the SCF. However, in both seasons the farmers. prediction of seasonal climate was consistent with that from the meteorological department. Engaging smallholder farmers with SCF assists them in making investment decisions on crop management options and in particular, on-farm trial results showed that farmers could derive reliable and substantial benefit from the SCF in decisions related to fertility input levels. The project demonstrated that farmer uptake and use of SCF benefits from an extended participatory approach that provides timely access and interpretation of the SCF, experimentation, monitoring and a post mortem of results which enhances farmer ownership and adoption after the project. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/46033 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z