Equipment and design of micro-irrigation system for dryland crops

Abstract

The recurrent emergencies in southern Africa1 caused by natural and biological hazards, such as floods, drought, cyclones, pests and diseases have exposed an important segment of the population to high levels of vulnerability. This is sometimes further aggravated by civil strife, HIV/AIDS and economic set-backs. Climate change, and the expected increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, will affect the agriculture sector, thereby increasing the risks faced by the rural populations, the majority of which are dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods and food security. International emergency programmes have done much to overcome the immediate shocks of extreme events and emergencies by providing immediate food and shelter needs and to redress the negative impacts on people’s lives and their livelihoods. There is a need to not only focus on response, but to also increase the resilience2 of vulnerable communities through prevention and reduction of the impact associated with disruptive events and 1 Angola, Botswana, Comoros, DR of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe. 2 The ability of a household to keep within a certain level of well-being (i.e. being food secure) by withstanding shocks and stresses. increasing people’s preparedness for response in order to reduce their vulnerabilities. Disaster risk reduction/management (DRR/M) and climate change adaptation have been assigned a high priority in the FAO corporate strategy in order to support governments to better respond to natural disasters with adequate policies, institutions and coordination mechanisms, and to strengthen capacities at national and local levels to assess, reduce and adapt to climate and disaster risks.