A VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT

OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MAIZE PRODUCTION IN

LESOTHO

Kanono Thabane

National University of Lesotho

WHY WORRY ABOUT FOOD SECURITY AS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

The issue of food security calls for serious interventions by us as YP Lack of Nutrition can be detrimental in the early

stages of life: Food Insecurity = no development Food security is critical for peace and stability:

People Revolt Migrate and Die

Climate change is a major threat to food security

CLIMATE CHANGE EXISTS

It is no secret that climate change will affect crop production in the future.

Problem• Crop production in

Southern Africa (SA) Vulnerable to climate change (CC).

• Increasing demand for food

• Adaptation is essential

• Smallholder farmers (SH)– Most vulnerable– Less capable to adapt

Identify how Vulnerable communities are to climate change and other factors

Commonly used by SHs therefore natural choice to adapt SHs to CC

Household Targeting

What to do?

SECCAP

1. How will Climate change affect maize production in Maphutseng, Lesotho?

2. How will climate related changes in maize production affect vulnerability of households in Maphutseng?

AIM

WHY DO WE NEED HOUSEHOLD TARGETING?

Various development players have applied different models and approaches in an attempt to address vulnerability and poverty.

Poor targeting often results from high inclusion or exclusion errors, Inclusion: which comes in the form of providing

assistance to non-deserving households. Exclusion: deserving households might be

excluded from receiving aid or development assistance.

This calls for effective and efficient systems of identifying and selecting beneficiaries.

HOUSEHOLD VULNERABILITY INDEX (HVI)

Developed by FANRPAN to identify Vulnerable Households exposure to shocks affecting their livelihoods. HVI uses 5 capital Assests:

a) Human Capital– results to include- Gender / average age of registered

beneficiaries- % of female-/child-headed households- Average household size- Composition of household members (children,

chronically ill, disabled, etc.,)- Education and employment

HOUSEHOLD VULNERABILITY INDEX (CONT) b) Physical Capital

- land ownership and cultivation - livestock ownership and sales - sources of income - sources of water

c) Natural Capital-Use and management of the environment - use of forest resources - effect of ill health on management of

environmental resources d) Financial Capital-

- most common expenditures, additional expenditures

- spending of income from livestock or crop sales

HOUSEHOLD VULNERABILITY INDEX (CONT)

) Household food access and nutrition diversity - meals per day - nutrition diversity index -other food sources other than own production -average household reserves of cereal

f) Social Capital- support networks -support received and from whom -satisfaction with support received

HOUSEHOLD VULNERABILITY INDEX (CONT)

HVI calculates an index ranging between 0 and 100, and categorises households as

Low Vulnerability: (0-42) able to deal with a shock on their own

Moderate Vulnerability: (43-63) need support to deal with a shock

High Vulnerability: 63+ (need expert support otherwise on a downward spiral because of the shock)

RESEARCH IMPACT

There is need to focus on the capital asset portfolio of the poor first before developing strategies that might enhance their abilities to cope with adverse effects.

Responsive Efficient Timely

Why HVI? Intervention policies

Thank Yousthunya.thabane@gmail.com