Title : From climate vulnerability to resilience: Strengthening community-based adaptation for food security in climate-vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe
Abstract:
Climate change is increasingly reshaping the livelihoods, food systems and resilience of vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe. Recurrent droughts, erratic rainfall, heat extremes and other climate-related hazards are placing growing pressure on agricultural production and household food security, particularly among rural and livelihood-dependent communities. While climate adaptation interventions have expanded, significant gaps remain in translating climate-risk information into locally appropriate and inclusive adaptation strategies that address the underlying social and economic drivers of vulnerability. This paper examines how community-based climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction approaches can strengthen food security and resilience among climate-vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe.
Drawing on a vulnerability and resilience perspective, the paper explores the interaction between climate hazards, livelihood vulnerability, food insecurity and local adaptive capacity. Particular attention is given to the role of community knowledge, indigenous ecological knowledge, livelihood diversification, local institutions and participatory approaches in strengthening anticipatory and adaptive capacity. The paper further considers how climate-risk information can be translated into practical interventions that enable communities to anticipate, absorb and adapt to climate-related shocks rather than relying predominantly on reactive disaster responses.
The analysis highlights the importance of moving beyond hazard-focused approaches towards adaptation strategies that recognize the social, economic and institutional dimensions of climate vulnerability. It argues that strengthening food-system resilience requires locally grounded interventions that integrate climate information, community knowledge, disaster risk reduction and inclusive governance. Such approaches can contribute to more resilient livelihoods and reduce the exposure of vulnerable households to recurrent climate-induced food insecurity.
The paper concludes by proposing a community-centred adaptation framework for Zimbabwe that connects vulnerability assessment with anticipatory action, livelihood resilience, food-system adaptation and inclusive local governance. The approach provides practical insights for policymakers, development practitioners and researchers seeking to design climate adaptation interventions that are evidence-based, locally relevant and capable of strengthening long-term resilience among frontline communities.
