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Maize Suitability in the Lowlands of Lesotho
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defined that the suitability is a function of crop climate requirements and land characteristics and it is a measure of how will the qualities of land unit matches the requirements of a particular form of land use. The aim of this research is to improve maize production in the lowlands of Lesotho, this is one of the agro-ecological zones with the most arable land and good soils so it is best to determine the suitability of each crop across this region. This will be achieved by quantitatively and qualitatively looking at the climate conditions require ...
Published by: Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology ; 2019
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defined that the suitability is a function of crop climate requirements and land characteristics and it is a measure of how will the qualities of land unit matches the requirements of a particular form of land use. The aim of this research is to improve maize production in the lowlands of Lesotho, this is one of the agro-ecological zones with the most arable land and good soils so it is best to determine the suitability of each crop across this region. This will be achieved by quantitatively and qualitatively looking at the climate conditions required by maize and also looking at the physio-chemical soil properties that suffices for the maximum production of the crop.
Climatic potential of maize under dryland farming in the lowlands of Lesotho was investigated using five climatic suitability indices namely: probability of receiving heat units of greater than 1320GDD, probability of a frost-free growing season, probability of seasonal rainfall of more than 650mm and the slope of an area. Also the physio-chemical properties of the soils found in the area of study were investigated looking at 6 soil parameters (pH, porosity, permeability, infiltration, organic matter, moisture equivalence) which are crucial to maize growth. For each of the above parameters a coverage layer was prepared in GIS environment and the layers were overlaid to obtain the agro-climatic suitability map of maize in the lowlands of Lesotho. Weighted overlay method is used for suitability analysis. The spatial analysis show that suitable soils are distributed throughout the whole lowlands but they are highly concentrated in the middle parts of the lowlands and with water requirement, the north-most part of the lowlands is highly suitable while the central part is moderately suitable.
The overall maize suitability in the lowlands of Lesotho indicate that 45.7% of the area is moderately suitable and this are concentrated in the middle to northern lowlands. 49.3% of the lowlands are found to be suitable for maize growth and are distributed throughout the whole lowlands but with the highest concentration in the north-most parts. Of the 5% remaining only 4.3% is highly suitable and it some area in the central part of Maseru near Moshoeshoe-I station.
Future projections show that there will be an improvement of growing degree days across the whole lowlands due to an increase in temperature but as of water requirement satisfaction there is a notable change of reduction especially in Mafeteng and Moshoeshoe-I this is due to reduction in annual accumulated rainfall, this is the case for both two (RCP 4.5, RCP 4.5) scenarios undertaken in this study.Notes: If you wish to download the full text, please contact library(at)wmo.int (Please replace (at) by @).
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Available online for logged-in users)Tags: Agroclimatology ; Scenario ; Lesotho ; Suitability ; Weighted overlay method ; spatial analysis ; physio-chemical ; RCP 4.5
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Drought Assessment Using SPEI and NDVI : Case of Lesotho
While drought conditions are generally a common and recurring phenomenon of the climate in Southern Africa especially Lesotho, the frequency of droughts in Lesotho has increased significantly over the past few years. Lesotho has suffered the devastating impacts of drought during the past several decades resulting in poor harvests and large livestock losses to rural farmers. The majority of the population in Lesotho engages with rain- fed agriculture and is dependent to some degree on own production for household food supply and/or cash income (Dejene, Midgley, & Marake, 2011). Any negative cha ...
Published by: Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology ; 2016
While drought conditions are generally a common and recurring phenomenon of the climate in Southern Africa especially Lesotho, the frequency of droughts in Lesotho has increased significantly over the past few years. Lesotho has suffered the devastating impacts of drought during the past several decades resulting in poor harvests and large livestock losses to rural farmers. The majority of the population in Lesotho engages with rain- fed agriculture and is dependent to some degree on own production for household food supply and/or cash income (Dejene, Midgley, & Marake, 2011). Any negative changes in precipitation and droughts exacerbate poverty and suffering amongst the most vulnerable communities in Lesotho. For these reasons, it is imperative to understand the nature of droughts, particularly agricultural drought and how it can be monitored for better planning. The objective of this study will be: To study spatial and temporal patterns of agricultural drought over Lesotho using SPEI (derived from rainfall and temperatures) and NDVI/VCI from satellite data. […]
Notes: If you wish to download the full text, please contact the author (monnapulam(at)icloud.com) or library(at)wmo.int (Please replace (at) by @).
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Available online for logged-in users)Tags: Drought ; Lesotho ; Thesis - WMO Fellowship Division
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Southern African agriculture and climate change: a comprehensive analysis
This study analyzes the range of plausible impacts of climate change by the year 2050, focusing almost entirely on crops. It builds on previous research that focused on regional and global effects of climate change. The first chapter provides a regional overview for southern Africa. Eight chapters look at the effects of climate change on eight countries in southern Africa: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is intended to provide policymakers and others concerned with climate change, agriculture, and food policy with guidance on the range o ...
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Available online: http://preventionweb.net/go/34629
Sepo Hachigonta ; Gerald C. Nelson ; T.S. Thomas ; Lindiwe Majele Sibanda ; International Food Policy Research Institute
Published by: IFPRI ; 2013This study analyzes the range of plausible impacts of climate change by the year 2050, focusing almost entirely on crops. It builds on previous research that focused on regional and global effects of climate change. The first chapter provides a regional overview for southern Africa. Eight chapters look at the effects of climate change on eight countries in southern Africa: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is intended to provide policymakers and others concerned with climate change, agriculture, and food policy with guidance on the range of the impacts of climate change and some information as to how climate change might affect various regions differently. It also provides some suggestions for policies that could most help each country prepare for the future impacts of climate change.
It provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of the scope of climate change as it relates to food security in southern Africa, including who will be most affected and what policymakers can do to facilitate adaptation. Augmenting the text are dozens of detailed maps that provide graphical representations of the range of food security challenges and the special threats from climate change. Using a comprehensive integrated empirical analysis, it generates information to better guide national development agendas on climate change and have suggested that policymakers should (i) incorporate climate change adaptation strategies in short- and long-term national development planning ; (ii) develop national capacity in the skills and tools needed for technical assessments, planning, and policy development in the context of climate change; (iii) promote sustainable agriculture initiatives that target vulnerable communities; and (iv) enhance investments in relevant economic sectors, in particular the agricultural sector.Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)ISBN (or other code): 978-0-89629-208-6
Tags: Agroclimatology ; Climate change ; Botswana ; Lesotho ; Malawi ; Mozambique ; South Africa ; Eswatini ; Zambia ; Zimbabwe ; Region I - Africa
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Farmers’ response and their adaptation strategies to climate change in Mafeteng District, Lesotho
This study assesses the response of farmers to climate change, impacts of climate change to their livelihoods, and the potential of the three agricultural systems, agro-forestry, conservation agriculture and conventional agriculture, as adaptation strategies to climate change in Ts’akholo and Kolo communities in Mafeteng District, Lesotho. The study has contributed to knowledge in the field of global environmental change and its relationship with agriculture, food security and general livelihoods, especially for farmers and policy-makers in Lesotho.
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Available online: http://www.atpsnet.org/Files/rps26.pdf
T.S.T. Sekaleli ; K. Sebusi ; African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS)
Published by: ATPS ; 2013This study assesses the response of farmers to climate change, impacts of climate change to their livelihoods, and the potential of the three agricultural systems, agro-forestry, conservation agriculture and conventional agriculture, as adaptation strategies to climate change in Ts’akholo and Kolo communities in Mafeteng District, Lesotho. The study has contributed to knowledge in the field of global environmental change and its relationship with agriculture, food security and general livelihoods, especially for farmers and policy-makers in Lesotho.
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)ISBN (or other code): 978-9966-030-70-2
Tags: Agroclimatology ; Climate change ; Lesotho ; Nepal
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Climate vulnerability monitor
DARA, 2012The Climate Vulnerability Monitor 2nd Edition reveals that climate change has already held back global development and inaction is a leading global cause of death. Harm is most acute for poor and vulnerable groups but no country is spared either the costs of inaction or the benefits of an alternative path.
Commissioned by the world’s most vulnerable countries and backed by high-level and technical panels, the new Monitor estimates human and economic impacts of climate change and the carbon economy for 184 countries in 2010 and 2030, across 34 indicators.
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Available online: http://daraint.org/climate-vulnerability-monitor/climate-vulnerability-monitor-2 [...]
Published by: DARA ; 2012 (2nd ed.)
The Climate Vulnerability Monitor 2nd Edition reveals that climate change has already held back global development and inaction is a leading global cause of death. Harm is most acute for poor and vulnerable groups but no country is spared either the costs of inaction or the benefits of an alternative path.
Commissioned by the world’s most vulnerable countries and backed by high-level and technical panels, the new Monitor estimates human and economic impacts of climate change and the carbon economy for 184 countries in 2010 and 2030, across 34 indicators.Notes: Pdf version [35Mb] available here
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)Tags: Climate ; Climate change ; Vulnerability ; Afghanistan ; Albania ; Algeria ; Angola ; Antigua and Barbuda ; Argentina ; Armenia ; Austria ; Australia ; Azerbaijan ; Bahamas ; Bahrain ; Bangladesh ; Barbados ; Belarus ; Belgium ; Belize ; Benin ; Bhutan ; Bolivia, Plurinacional State of ; Bosnia and Herzegovina ; Botswana ; Brazil ; Bulgaria ; Brunei Darussalam ; Burkina Faso ; Burundi ; Cambodia ; Cameroon ; Canada ; Cape Verde ; Central Africa ; Chad ; Chile ; China ; Colombia ; Comoros ; Costa Rica ; Côte d'Ivoire ; Croatia ; Cuba ; Cyprus ; Czech Republic ; Democratic Republic of Congo ; Denmark ; Djibouti ; Dominica ; Dominican Republic ; Ecuador ; Egypt ; El Salvador ; Equatorial Guinea ; Eritrea ; Estonia ; Ethiopia ; Fiji ; Finland ; France ; Gabon ; Georgia ; Germany ; Ghana ; Greece ; Greenland ; Guatemala ; Guinea ; Guinea-Bissau ; Guyana ; Haiti ; Honduras ; Hungary ; Iceland ; India ; Indonesia ; Iran, Islamic Republic of ; Iraq ; Ireland ; Israel ; Italy ; Jamaica ; Japan ; Jordan ; Kazakhstan ; Kenya ; Kiribati ; Kuwait ; Kyrgyzstan ; Lao People’s Democratic Republic ; Latvia ; Lebanon ; Lesotho ; Liberia ; Libya (State of) ; Lithuania ; Luxembourg ; Republic of North Macedonia ; Madagascar ; Malawi ; Malaysia ; Maldives ; Mali ; Malta ; Marshall Islands ; Mauritania ; Mauritius ; Mexico ; Micronesia, Federated States of ; Republic of Moldova ; Mongolia ; Morocco ; Mozambique ; Namibia ; Nepal ; Netherlands ; Nicaragua ; Niger ; Nigeria ; Norway ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Oman ; Pakistan ; Panama ; Papua New Guinea ; Paraguay ; Peru ; Philippines ; Poland ; Portugal ; Qatar ; Congo ; Romania ; Russian Federation ; Rwanda ; Saint Lucia ; Samoa ; Sao Tome and Principe ; Saudi Arabia ; Senegal ; Seychelles ; Sierra Leone ; Singapore ; Slovakia ; Slovenia ; Solomon Islands ; Somalia ; South Africa ; Republic of Korea ; Spain ; Sri Lanka ; Sudan ; Suriname ; Eswatini ; Sweden ; Switzerland ; Syrian Arab Republic ; Tajikistan ; United Republic of Tanzania ; Thailand ; Gambia ; Togo ; Tonga ; Trinidad and Tobago ; Tunisia ; Türkiye ; Turkmenistan ; Tuvalu ; Uganda ; Ukraine ; United Arab Emirates ; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ; United States of America ; Uruguay ; Uzbekistan ; Vanuatu ; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of ; Viet Nam ; Yemen ; Zambia ; Zimbabwe ; Grenada ; Palau ; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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Lesotho Climate Change Projections
Lesotho is a small mountainous country is southern Africa. Lesotho is a temperate region that has four distinct seasons; spring, summer, autumn and winter. It is among countries that are vulnerable to climate change impacts. As such, future climate projections are vital to the country. Lesotho has submitted her first and the only report (FNC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2000. The report includes vulnerability and adaptation (V&A) assessment developed using the first generation low resolution Global Climate Models (GCMs) output. This study was aimed ...
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Disaster risk reduction in school curricula: case studies from thirty countries
Selby David; Kagawa Fumiyo; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); et al. - UNESCO, 2012This publication captures key national experiences in the integration of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the curriculum, identifying good practice, noting issues addressed or still lacking, and reviewing learning outcomes. The study researched DRR related curriculum development and integration, pedagogy, student assessment, teacher professional development and guidance, learning outcomes and policy development, planning and implementation aspects covering thirty countries.
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Southern Africa disaster risk reduction plan, 2012-2014
Aligning with the priorities outlined in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, this plan responds to the need to develop a longer-term strategic approach that helps articulate funding and program priorities to allow for comprehensive disaster programming that reduces future humanitarian needs in the Southern Africa region. It presents the disaster risk reduction DRR activities selected for implementation in coordination with other USG agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), U.N. agencies, other donors, higher educati ...
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Sistema de Observações do Ciclo Hidrológico da SADC (SADC-HYCOS) : Documento de implementação aprovado
Organização Meteorológica Mundial (OMM) ; Departamento de Recursos Hídricos e Florestais (DWAF) ; Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros ; et al. - Organização Meteorológica Mundial (OMM), 2003FASE II DA SADC-HYCOS
Um projecto sob o Plano de Acção Estratégico Regional da SADC para o Desenvolvimento e Gestão de Recursos Hídricos Integrados na Sub-Região da SADC
Consolidação e expansão do sistema de o documento de implementação aprovado outubro de 2008
Observação do ciclo hidrológico na subregião da SADC (SADC-HYCOS)
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Système d’observation du cycle hydrologique de la SADC (SADC-HYCOS) : Document de mise en oeuvre approuvé
Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM); Département des eaux et des forêts (DWAF) ; Ministère des affaires étrangères ; et al. - OMM, 2003CDAA-HYCOS - PHASE II, Un plan d’action stratégique régional pour le développement et la gestion intégrée des ressources hydrologiques dans la sous-région de la communauté de Développement de l’Afrique Australe.
Renforcement et expansion du système d’observation du cycle hydraulique dans la sous-région de l’Afrique Australe (CDAAHYCOS)
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Southern African Development Community Hydrological Cycle Observing System (SADC-HYCOS) : project document
CDAA-HYCOS - PHASE I
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Organization of a Meteorological Service in Lesotho
Sebastian H.; World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); et al. - WMO, 1973 (WMO-No. RP. TC. 42)
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