Low-income communities, small-scale farmers, and people with low literacy levels.
The hardest populations to reach with climate change information in South Africa are low-income communities, small-scale farmers, and people with low literacy levels due to barriers like limited access to technology, poor dissemination channels, and structural inequalities. These groups are often the most vulnerable to climate impacts but lack the necessary resources and access to information needed to adapt and build resilience. Also extension officers are often inefficient in disseminating information, and there is a lack of effective collaboration between those who educate and those who need to use climate information.
Low-income and marginalized communities particularly in urban and peri-urban areas are disproportionately affected by climate change but face structural barriers to adaptation, including limited economic empowerment and resources. These communities are associated with people with low literacy. Low literacy levels restrict the ability of many individuals to access climate information that is primarily disseminated through improved technology. Hence many individuals cannot access information through improved technologies due to a lack of connectivity and digital literacy.
Also gender inequalities are exacerbated by climate change. Women, who are already more likely to hold low-paid jobs and perform unpaid care work, face higher risks from impacts like gender-based violence and may have less access to resources and decision-making processes. These structural inequalities have caused barriers such as poverty, lack of finance, and limited infrastructure prevent these groups from being able to act on climate change information, even if they receive it. Also rural communities often have limited infrastructure and are more dependent on climate-sensitive livelihoods like agriculture, yet face significant barriers to accessing relevant climate information.
In South Africa, climate change awareness is particularly low among citizens with less than a secondary education (36%), the poor (37%), and rural residents (42%). These groups are often more concerned with immediate socioeconomic challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and access to basic services than climate change, hence they may lack access to information. Therefore to address these issues, there is a need to develop strategies that are inclusive of vulnerable groups, provide information tailored to their specific needs, and are not an added financial burden.
Proposals
- To provide training and resources to local extension officers and community health workers to enable them to disseminate and translate climate information effectively in peri-urban and rural areas
The project aims to build local capacity by training extension officers and community health workers (CHWs) to effectively translate and communicate climate information in peri-urban and rural areas. Key components include developing training-of-trainers (ToT) materials, using community-based approaches, and providing resources like educational materials and technological tools to help intermediaries disseminate crucial climate information and support community resilience.
- To build a strong relationship and collaborations between climate information producers, disseminators (like extension officers), and the end-users (communities).
The project aims to strengthen collaboration by creating a feedback loop between climate information producers, extension officers, and communities. Key components include co-producing climate information with local knowledge, training extension officers, developing accessible communication channels (like mobile phones and local languages), establishing demonstration farms, and fostering peer-to-peer learning among communities to ensure information is relevant and actionable for climate adaptation.
Government official to implement the proposals
Mr. Tlou Ramaru, Chief Director for Climate Change Adaptation, Email: tramaru@dffe.gov.za.
This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard South Africa Country Manager, Rugare Zhou.
List of References
- https://theconversation.com/south-african-study-finds-4-low-income-communities-cant-cope-with-global-warming-what-needs-to-change-259958#:~:text=The%20climate%20in%20South%20Africa,effective%20responses%20to%20climate%20change
- Ncoyini, Z., Savage, M.J. and Strydom, S., 2022. Limited access and use of climate information by small-scale sugarcane farmers in South Africa: A case study, Climate Services, Volume 26, 2022, 100285, ISSN 2405-8807, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cliser.2022.100285.
- Mpako, A., and Govindasamy, P. 2023. Despite growing evidence, climate change is still unknown to many South Africans. Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 615. Dispatch No. 615 | 9 March 2023