Drought Risk to Agricultural Systems in Zimbabwe: A Spatial Analysis of Hazard, Exposure, and Vulnerability

Janna Frischen, Isabel Meza, Daniel Rupp, Katharina Wietler and Michael Hagenlocher
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Janna Frischen: Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), United Nations University, UN Campus, 53113 Bonn, Germany
Isabel Meza: Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), United Nations University, UN Campus, 53113 Bonn, Germany
Daniel Rupp: Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V., Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 1, 53173 Bonn, Germany
Katharina Wietler: Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V. (Zimbabwe Country Office), 1562 Harare, Zimbabwe
Michael Hagenlocher: Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), United Nations University, UN Campus, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-23

Abstract: The devastating impacts of drought are fast becoming a global concern. Zimbabwe is among the countries more severely affected, where drought impacts have led to water shortages, declining yields, and periods of food insecurity, accompanied by economic downturns. In particular, the country’s agricultural sector, mostly comprised of smallholder rainfed systems, is at great risk of drought. In this study, a multimethod approach is applied, including a remote sensing-based analysis of vegetation health data from 1989–2019 to assess the drought hazard, as well as a spatial analysis combined with expert consultations to determine drought vulnerability and exposure of agricultural systems. The results show that droughts frequently occur with changing patterns across Zimbabwe. Every district has been affected by drought during the past thirty years, with varying levels of severity and frequency. Severe drought episodes have been observed in 1991–1992, 1994–1995, 2002–2003, 2015–2016, and 2018–2019. Drought vulnerability and exposure vary substantially in the country, with the south-western provinces of Matabeleland North and South showing particularly high levels. Assessments of high-risk areas, combined with an analysis of the drivers of risk, set the path towards tailor-made adaptation strategies that consider drought frequency and severity, exposure, and vulnerability.

Keywords: rainfed agriculture; irrigated agriculture; drought; vegetation health index; Zimbabwe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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