Accessibility and utilization of climate information services for decision-making in smallholder farming: Insights from Limpopo Province, South Africa

The availability, accessibility and use of weather and climate information services (CIS) are essential to enable farmers to minimize losses due to climatic uncertainties and take advantage of opportunities presented by favourable climatic conditions. This study examines the key challenges and determinants of access and the utilization of CIS by smallholder farmers in the drylands of South Africa, using Limpopo Province as the case study. Primary data were collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire administered from 240 households and were validated through focus group discussions with key local informants. Descriptive statistics, frequency analysis and a binary logistic model were used for data analysis. The results indicated that most smallholder farmers had access to the daily weather forecasts (76%) that are mainly broadcasted via radio (66%) and television (63%), while very few had access to other types of CIS such as seasonal weather forecasts (7%) and early warnings (10%). The results indicate that most smallholder farmers (56%) were not using any CIS in planning their farm activities. This was mainly due to unreliability, lack of tailored and local-specific CIS (farm or community level) as well as language barriers, difficulty in understanding, decoding and use of supplied information for decision-making. The results also showed that the accessibility and utilization of CIS varies across different locations due to their differences in terms of customs, access to resources and levels of prioritizing farming as a major source of livelihood. The results further indicated that farming being a major occupation and awareness of climate variability were the main factors determining the accessibility of CIS, while utilization of CIS was additionally determined by the level of education and understating of climate change in the study area. The access to internet and mobile applications, awareness campaigns, capacity-building initiatives and co-production of local-specific CIS accompanied by agrometeorological advisories are recommended to overcome these barriers to the access and use of CIS.