Adapting to climate, water and health stress:

Insights from Limpopo, South Africa.

Gina Ziervogel, Frank Thomalla, Anna Taylor, Takeshi Takama, Claire Quinn, Mandla Msibi

Stockholm Environment Institute, University of Cape Town

gina@sei.se

Areas of investigation

• Multiple stresses: climate, water, health, food security– Perception of prevailing risks – Prioritisation of responses to dynamic risks– Individual/household, village and district level

perceptions of various stresses and responses

• Adaptation to stresses– Opportunities and constraints for managing

stress– Possibilities for integrated adaptive response to

stress within and between scales.

Case study: Sekhukhune

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ERTS

MORONE

NTWANE

MATLALA

HEREFORD

MMAPHOKO

MOTETEMA

MPHELENGMALEOSKOP

OHRIGSTAD

ROOIKRAAL

BRANDDRAAI

MOSSIESDAL

STEELPOORT

BURGERSFORT

ELANDSDOORN

GROBLERSDAL

MARBLE HALL

MATLEREKENG

ROOSSENEKAL

KENNEDY'S VALE

PENGE

THOTO

DRIEKOP

JOBSKOP

TSATANE

TUBATSE

GA-MOLOI

GA-PHALA

GASEROKA

SESESEHU

TAFELKOP

GA-PAMADI

GA-PHAHLA

GASEPHOKA

MAMPHOKGO

MANGANENG

JANE FURSE

MAHUBAHUBA

MOHLATETSI

MONSTERLUS

SEKHUKHUNE

GAMANKOPANE

GA-MASEMOLAMAMOHLAKANE

MASEHLANENG

PATANTSWANE

KROMELLENBOOG

MANOTOLWANENG

GA-MAKHARANKANA

Greater Marble Hall

Greater Groblersdal

Greater Tubatse

N

Sekhukhuneland ISRD Node

L i m p o p o

M p u m a l a n g a

Municipal boundaries

Sekhukhuneland ISRD node

% Towns & Villages

Provincial boundary

Fetakgomo

Makhuduthamaga

0 20 40 60 Kilometers

Water in Sekhukhune

Water: central to development in the district– supply of basic services– water for agriculture

(commercial agriculture, small-scale market-oriented agriculture and subsistence)

– water for expanding mining sector

Sekhukhune District

Below Basic RDP level (Tanker, borehole, natural, other)

Basic Access (Public tap)

Intermediate access (On site)

Full access (Inside dwelling)

% 46.9% 33.5% 11.3% 8.3%

Village level: opportunities and constraints

Rainfallvariability

Communalgarden

Homegarden

Foodsecurity

Markets

Changinghouseholddemands

Socialnetworks

HealthQuality andaccess to

health care

Changes tohouseholdstructure

Employment

Governmentinvestment

Communityprojects

Climate

WaterEducation

and training

Migration

Grants andpensions

Formalgovernment

workopportunities

Climate/water/food and livelihoods

More money is available when it rains, because we get produce from our home

garden and save on water bills.Villager from Mohlotsi

We used to grow some food but now we buy everything.

Villager from Mohlotsi

Coping/adapting at household level

Coping strategies Adaptation strategies

Eat less preferred food Work elsewhere

Reduce number of meals a day Engage in a village project

Limit portion size of meals Contact district for support

Rely on piecework Go on a training course at own cost

Borrow food Try to access a grant

Eat elsewhere Start/improve home garden

Purchase food on credit

Examples of perceived strategies to address stress

Mohlotsi Ga-Selala Municipal and district government

Challenging climatic conditions/ Water scarcity

Irrigation systems, Drought resistant crop varieties

Transition to less agriculturally based livelihoods

Increase dam capacity to capture more water; Build new dam

Lack of employment opportunities Generation of employment within the village,

Support for development initiatives,

Coordination of skills, training and opportunities

Improved regulation of recruitment procedures in the mining sector to ensure equal opportunities

Expansion of mining activities;

Support of the growth of secondary industries: processing of raw materials and manufacturing, and services

Investment in tourism activities

District development foci

District level– Mining water– Agriculture water – Tourism limited water– Establishment of regional development

nodes limited water – Training programmes

Climatic change is not something we can stop. Limpopo is a province of extremesprovince of extremes, swinging between drought and flooddrought and flood.

But this new drier future is a whole new thing. ..We cannot just sit and wait for it to arrive. The government is proactively and aggressively driving new policies to stretch every drop of waterstretch every drop of water we have as far as possible.

Premier of Limpopo, Mr. Moloto, Mail and Guardian, 2006

Adaptation to climate change

• In Sekhukhune climate change impacts will be experienced through water-related stress– Many agricultural assessments of need for adaptation– Limited examples of the implications for the water

sector

• Climate change impact and adaptation assessment – Commitment at national and provincial level– Non-existent at district level– Handful of local examples

Need for adaptive strategies in water management

• Effective management of water links to livelihood security – Directly agriculture and livestock; individual and

communal– Indirectly employment opportunities, food prices

• Yet, water decisions made by stakeholders at provincial and district level– around key district economic activities– Impact of these on poverty not necessarily direct– Levels of poverty in rural communities are high and

shorter-term solutions needed

Adaptation to multiple stresses

• Acknowledge differing perceptions

• Target municipal level

• Integrated activities at the government level– Between sectors– Avoid maladaptation

Adaptation to climate change in Sekhukhune

• Municipal level– Recognition of potential impact of climate change

• Exploration of adaptation strategies– Local projects– Integrated in municipal and district planning– Support from national level

• Examples– Supporting non-agricultural livelihood activities– Value-added services– Rainwater harvesting– Reassess infrastructure standards– Provisions for climate variability in water management

plans

Future pathways• Unemployment and food insecurity

– urgent livelihood needs to address

• Adaptation to multiple stress– recognition of different needs– use strengths of different scales– links between issues not clearly articulated

• Adaptation to climate change– adaptive management of water

• Policy and operational frameworks – not in place to address this

thanks…tobela

gina@sei.se