A Technological Perspective of Bringing Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Food Security Together in South Africa

Annegrace Zembe (), Livhuwani David Nemakonde, Paul Chipangura, Christo Coetzee and Fortune Mangara
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Annegrace Zembe: African Centre for Disaster Studies, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa
Livhuwani David Nemakonde: African Centre for Disaster Studies, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa
Paul Chipangura: African Centre for Disaster Studies, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa
Christo Coetzee: African Centre for Disaster Studies, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa
Fortune Mangara: African Centre for Disaster Studies, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 16, 1-15

Abstract: As disasters and climate change risks, particularly droughts and floods, continue to affect food security globally, most governments, including South Africa, have resorted to the use of technology to incorporate climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction to address FS issues. This is because most institutions and policies that address climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and food security operate in parallel, which usually leads to the polarisation of interventions and conflicting objectives, thus leaving the issue of FS unresolved. The study aimed to investigate how food security projects are incorporating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction using technology. A qualitative research design was applied, whereby in-depth interviews were conducted with ten project participants from two projects, while 24 key informants were purposively selected from government and research institutions. The study’s main findings revealed that both projects incorporate climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction measures in most of their food value chains. Although the projects are different, they still face similar challenges, such as a lack of expertise, resources, and funding, and an inadequate regulatory environment to improve their farming practices. The study brings in the practical side of addressing the coherence between food security, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction through technology.

Keywords: climate change adaptation; disaster risk reduction; food security; Sentinel-2 Earth observation technology; hydroponics farming technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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