Summary
Zimbabwe ’s vulnerability and adaptation assessment examines the potential effects of climate change on the production of maize in Zimbabwe combining a crop model (CERES-Maize) with climate scenarios derived from two general circulation models. Currently, low rainfall and high temperature threaten agricultural production in Zimbabwe. Simulated maize yields decreased considerably under dryland conditions based on the climate change scenarios. Reductions in simulated maize yields were attributed to shorter growing seasons driven by increased temperatures. In some regions, simulated yield decreases were partly offset by the direct effects of CO2 on photosynthesis and water use. Switching to drought-tolerant varieties of small grains and applying appropriate management practices would counteract the negative impacts of climate change. Rapid geographical shifts in the agricultural land base could disrupt rural communities and their associated infrastructure. More research is called for to generate technologies that enable farmers to adapt to the effects of climate change.
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© 1996 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Matarira, C.H., Kamukondiwa, W., Mwamuka, F.C., Makadho, J.M., Unganai, L.S. (1996). Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Zimbabwe. In: Smith, J.B., Huq, S., Lenhart, S., Mata, L.J., Nemešová, I., Toure, S. (eds) Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change. Environmental Science and Technology Library, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3653-4_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3653-4_6
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