In many parts of southern Africa, agricultural production is stagnant or even in decline, particularly in subsistence and smallholder agriculture. The reasons are many and debatable, but include lack of suitable inputs for production, environmental constraints and degradation, inadequate agricultural infrastructure, external shocks including volatile markets, and social stresses such as the impacts of HIV/AIDS and growing poverty. As an additional stressor, increasing climate variability and climate change are impacting on agricultural livelihoods since resource-poor farmers are unable to cope with multiple stressors or adapt to climate-related risks.

The publication presents the main findings of climate change projections in the short-term (until 2030), identifies the key impacts on livelihoods and food security in major agro-ecological zones and outlines the experience and lessons learned on adaptation priorities with an overall aim of enhancing food security.

The publication also provides a good example how the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) has been instrumental in complementing and addressing some of the gaps in the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) on climate change of Lesotho. The emphasis is on identifying and testing locally-relevant and technologically appropriate adaptation practices (particularly for drought) and technical capacity building through need-based training programmes, focusing on crops, livestock and forest-based livelihood systems.

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