Adaptation to the impacts of climate Change on agriculture in eThekwini: a literature review.

Abstract

The eThekwini Municipality has shown strong innovative strategies and activities on climate change adaptation. Putting the improvement of the quality of life of its urban poor remains the main goal in the official planning systems of the municipality and its counterparts. In this era of the changing climate affecting agricultural activities across the world, both small-scale and commercial farmers are adjusting their practices. Commercially, farming has had to adapt to diversified land use plans as well make choices of inputs which would be resilient and work within forecasted conditions. There is also evidence of shifting public policy to adapt to forthcoming changes. The Municipality has designed a food security strategic plan that intends to complement its climate change policy documents. Certainly, the Municipality’s food security vision declaration aims to guarantee that eThekwini population has a strong and resilient food security status. Urban agriculture is one of eThekwini’s policies supporting urban agricultural programmes and activities, although this policy is complemented with the rural agricultural policy (under the rural area-based management). These include the organic and sustainable agricultural initiatives, essential food sovereignty, food security, economic empowerment and environmental sustainability for eThekwini residents and the Municipality’s green leadership, which is mainly responsible for implementing approaches to aid poor citizens to adapt to climate change.