Abstract:
Climate change (CC) poses a significant threat to food security in rural South Africa, particularly among women subsistence farmers. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) promotes resilience and sustainability, yet its uptake in under-resourced settings remains limited. This pilot study investigates how women farmers in Ndlangubo Village, KwaZulu-Natal, perceive and implement CSA, the challenges they encounter, and the role of institutional knowledge support, such as libraries and extension officers, in facilitating adoption. Using a qualitative approach with minimal quantitative descriptive analysis, data were collected from 10 women’s farming groups via semi-structured questionnaires and were analysed thematically and statistically. Findings revealed that, despite limited awareness of CSA, participants practised techniques such as mulching, crop rotation, and organic fertilisation. Key challenges included limited institutional support, restricted access to information, low literacy, insufficient extension services, and limited library-supported knowledge systems. The study recommends training agricultural extension officers and librarians in CSA to cascade knowledge; ensuring programmes are culturally, linguistically, and gender sensitive; repackaging information for accessibility; and utilising digital communication tools. This study highlights the need to transform CSA policies into practical applications through localised education and institutional reinforcement, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), 5 (Gender Equality), and 13 (Climate Action).
