Climate change shifting seasons

Climate change, whilst being the current most talked about environment issue, still remains an abstract and in some instances an unknown concept to a rural and marginalised community where i come from. The Sebakwe community in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe which was brought together by farming, represents a vulnerable community due to the shifting seasons which are adversely affecting their main source of sustenance, agriculture. This is a resettlement community with very little farming input support services. As such farming is predominantly rainfed.

The local people have noted the now consistent irregularities in the weather, especially in the last past 5 years. Weather scenarios have rapidly shifted from extremely wet conditions, to extremely dry conditions. In the 2007 farming season, both extremities were experienced and it was disheartening to watch recently waterlogged fields of maize being scorched to nothing under very high temperatures all within weeks. Consequently foreign aid had to rescue the starving community of Sebakwe due to the failed harvest.

However with all this happening, such communities as Sebakwe remain marginalised. It is no surprise therefore that the local people explain these disruptions in the traditional weather pattern in other terms than the climate change concept. Common explanations such as 'the gods are angry' are used to explain the phenomenon.....So whilst the world is busy talking and debating about mitigation and adaptation strategies, there are some vulnerable communities busy planning rituals and ceremonies to 'appease the gods' and hope everything will be normal.