**4.1 Households' efforts towards adapting to climate change in the semi-arid region of Mopani District**

Although efforts are on-going globally, regionally and nationally to reverse the trend in climate variability through research, treaties, collaborations, dialogues and other mechanisms, it is essential to appreciate that adaptation to the new climate change regime remains for now, the only realistic and sustainable option that is available [73, 74]. However, household's private adaptation strategy is becoming an increasingly important component to the urban setting, since the end to the failure of Municipal governments to effectively deal with adaptation to climate change in urban center is indeterminate.

#### *4.1.1 Households' temperature coping strategies*

Occurrence of heat waves as a result of rise in temperature is generally evident in the semi-arid region of South Africa [58] and particularly in Mopani District of Limpopo province [75]. According to [76], households' and municipal responses to cope with high temperature or heat waves can be undertaken via tree planting and several other strategies. In line with this understanding, household's individual rising temperature coping strategy in the selected towns in the district were identified. The strategies include tree planting, minimizing bush burning, preservation of water bodies, eco-friendly faming practice, Flower and Grass Planting, the use of Fan and Air conditioner and the creation of Parks and Gardens. **Table 1**, depicts the responses from households, on the preferred coping strategies for increasing temperature across the selected towns in Mopani, these are subsequently discussed.

Tree planting is one of the popular coping strategies and was recommended for mitigating the impact of high temperature [77]. This assertion was validated in the selected towns, with the results obtained from our investigation where 63.3% of households in Tzaneen, and 56.6% in Nkowankowa were in agreement with tree planting strategy to cope with heat waves. Hoedspruit accounted for 88.9%, Modjadjiskloof 50% while in Phalaborwa and Giyani 95.2% and 100% of households employed the strategy respectively. The findings suggests wide range of acceptability of tree planting as temperature coping strategy. The general acceptability of the strategy across the towns was adduced to its affordability and effectiveness as a coping strategy for increasing temperature.

An examination of the relevance of reducing bush burning as a strategy for coping with temperature in the selected towns in Mopani District was undertaken and the results of the respondents' answers to the strategy reveals that

**139**

*Households' Adaptation to Climate Change Hazards in Semi-Arid Region of Mopani, South…*

**Create parks & garden**

Tzaneen 66.3 45.6 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Nkowankowa 56.6 18.3 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.6 100.0 Hoedspruit 88.9 100.0 0.0 100.0 83.3 11.1 100.0 Modjadjiskloof 50.0 80.0 0.0 100.0 60.0 0.0 100.0 Phalaborwa 95.2 98.8 0.0 98.0 77.4 0.0 100.0 Giyani 100.0 51.5 0.0 100.0 2.3 0.0 100.0

**Minimize bush burning**

**preserve water bodies**

**Ecofriendly farming**

**Use of fans and air condition**

in Nkowankowa, Tzaneen, Hoedspruit and Modjadjiskloof, minimizing bush burning was considered by every household, as an appropriate strategy, while in Phalaborwa, 2% of the entire households surveyed declined the choice of the strategy. The employment of bush burning minimization to curtail the impact of heatwaves at municipal level will be an acceptable and effective strategy that will

With respect to the respondents adopting the conservation of water bodies in their communities, **Table 1** shows that more than four in every five respondents in Phalaborwa, three in every five in Modjadjiskloof respectively endorsed the strategy to cope with temperature. However, the strategy only enjoyed the acceptability of only 2.3% respondents in Giyani. This strategy was equally unpopular in both Tzaneen and Nkowankowa. The reason for Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa and Modjadjiskloof in favor of this strategy was traced to the awareness of the benefits of the strategy among households, facilitated by NGOs and the respective municipalities. This result reflects that the municipalities of the two towns complied with

In the narratives of current literature reviewed on the adoption of eco-friendly farming practices as temperature coping strategy, it shows that it is a promising strategy as reported by [79]. But the results of the acceptability test of the strategy in the selected towns show otherwise. For example, in Tzaneen, Modjadjiskloof, Phalaborwa and Giyani, no respondent indicated adopting it as a strategy. Only Hoedspruit accounted for 11.1%. The result reflects the economic activities of significant proportion of respondents from non-primary sources particularly agriculture. Thus, prescribing it as coping strategy for temperature in the district

However, According to [80] as cited in [81] Green infrastructure is very useful in contributing to mitigate the effects of hard surfacing by modifying ambient temperatures as well as creating recreational opportunities among other advantages. Our investigation revealed that every households in Hoedspruit town adopted the strategy, while 98.8%, 80% and 51.5% households in Phalaborwa, Modjadjisklooof and Giyani towns adopted the green infrastructure strategy respectively too. Flower and grass planting seems to be a widespread and suitable temperature coping strategy in the selected towns, except in Nkowankowa where only 18.3% of the

The use of Fan and Air conditioner appeared to be a very satisfactory strategy that was favored by every households traversing the selected towns in Mopani. This was adduced to by the respondents that the former (fan) is affordable, accessible

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94759*

**planting**

**Flower and grass planting**

**Towns Tree** 

*Source: Authors' Field Data, 2019.*

**Table 1.**

make meaningful impacts across the district.

*Temperature coping strategies across Mopani District.*

the water conservation Act No. 36 [78].

household embraced the strategy.

might not be very impactful to the majority of households.

*Households' Adaptation to Climate Change Hazards in Semi-Arid Region of Mopani, South… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94759*


#### **Table 1.**

*Natural Hazards - Impacts, Adjustments and Resilience*

are discussed as follow.

**4. Result and discussion**

**region of Mopani District**

urban center is indeterminate.

*4.1.1 Households' temperature coping strategies*

tiveness as a coping strategy for increasing temperature.

with proportional share to each towns. Guided by the focus of this chapter, data collection methods emphasizes direct/personal interviews, questionnaire and visual inspection/ transect walk in order to ensure a high rate of response. Though the study adopts mixed method, open-ended questions were minimized, and wellordered, where necessary. Review of existing literature was used to complement the current research findings. The investigated variables were isolated because of their being the direct location-specific effects occasioned by climate change. These variables are categorized into three, these include: those strategies related to increased temperature; reduced water level (rainfalls); and incidence of flood. These variables were cross tabulated against the selected towns of respondents and

**4.1 Households' efforts towards adapting to climate change in the semi-arid** 

Although efforts are on-going globally, regionally and nationally to reverse the trend in climate variability through research, treaties, collaborations, dialogues and other mechanisms, it is essential to appreciate that adaptation to the new climate change regime remains for now, the only realistic and sustainable option that is available [73, 74]. However, household's private adaptation strategy is becoming an increasingly important component to the urban setting, since the end to the failure of Municipal governments to effectively deal with adaptation to climate change in

Occurrence of heat waves as a result of rise in temperature is generally evident in the semi-arid region of South Africa [58] and particularly in Mopani District of Limpopo province [75]. According to [76], households' and municipal responses to cope with high temperature or heat waves can be undertaken via tree planting and several other strategies. In line with this understanding, household's individual rising temperature coping strategy in the selected towns in the district were identified. The strategies include tree planting, minimizing bush burning, preservation of water bodies, eco-friendly faming practice, Flower and Grass Planting, the use of Fan and Air conditioner and the creation of Parks and Gardens. **Table 1**, depicts the responses from households, on the preferred coping strategies for increasing temperature across the selected towns in Mopani, these are subsequently discussed. Tree planting is one of the popular coping strategies and was recommended for mitigating the impact of high temperature [77]. This assertion was validated in the selected towns, with the results obtained from our investigation where 63.3% of households in Tzaneen, and 56.6% in Nkowankowa were in agreement with tree planting strategy to cope with heat waves. Hoedspruit accounted for 88.9%, Modjadjiskloof 50% while in Phalaborwa and Giyani 95.2% and 100% of households employed the strategy respectively. The findings suggests wide range of acceptability of tree planting as temperature coping strategy. The general acceptability of the strategy across the towns was adduced to its affordability and effec-

An examination of the relevance of reducing bush burning as a strategy for coping with temperature in the selected towns in Mopani District was undertaken and the results of the respondents' answers to the strategy reveals that

**138**

*Temperature coping strategies across Mopani District.*

in Nkowankowa, Tzaneen, Hoedspruit and Modjadjiskloof, minimizing bush burning was considered by every household, as an appropriate strategy, while in Phalaborwa, 2% of the entire households surveyed declined the choice of the strategy. The employment of bush burning minimization to curtail the impact of heatwaves at municipal level will be an acceptable and effective strategy that will make meaningful impacts across the district.

With respect to the respondents adopting the conservation of water bodies in their communities, **Table 1** shows that more than four in every five respondents in Phalaborwa, three in every five in Modjadjiskloof respectively endorsed the strategy to cope with temperature. However, the strategy only enjoyed the acceptability of only 2.3% respondents in Giyani. This strategy was equally unpopular in both Tzaneen and Nkowankowa. The reason for Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa and Modjadjiskloof in favor of this strategy was traced to the awareness of the benefits of the strategy among households, facilitated by NGOs and the respective municipalities. This result reflects that the municipalities of the two towns complied with the water conservation Act No. 36 [78].

In the narratives of current literature reviewed on the adoption of eco-friendly farming practices as temperature coping strategy, it shows that it is a promising strategy as reported by [79]. But the results of the acceptability test of the strategy in the selected towns show otherwise. For example, in Tzaneen, Modjadjiskloof, Phalaborwa and Giyani, no respondent indicated adopting it as a strategy. Only Hoedspruit accounted for 11.1%. The result reflects the economic activities of significant proportion of respondents from non-primary sources particularly agriculture. Thus, prescribing it as coping strategy for temperature in the district might not be very impactful to the majority of households.

However, According to [80] as cited in [81] Green infrastructure is very useful in contributing to mitigate the effects of hard surfacing by modifying ambient temperatures as well as creating recreational opportunities among other advantages. Our investigation revealed that every households in Hoedspruit town adopted the strategy, while 98.8%, 80% and 51.5% households in Phalaborwa, Modjadjisklooof and Giyani towns adopted the green infrastructure strategy respectively too. Flower and grass planting seems to be a widespread and suitable temperature coping strategy in the selected towns, except in Nkowankowa where only 18.3% of the household embraced the strategy.

The use of Fan and Air conditioner appeared to be a very satisfactory strategy that was favored by every households traversing the selected towns in Mopani. This was adduced to by the respondents that the former (fan) is affordable, accessible

and environmentally friendly. However, while the latter (air conditioners) was enhanced by the stability of electricity, it does not only escalates the energy bills because of the increased loads resulting from cooling, but it equally exacerbates urban heat island in its own capacity. Thus [82] submit that for effective alleviation of urban warming and enhanced cooling, there is, as a necessity the need to reduce air-conditioning anthropogenic heat.

The responses obtained from the survey conducted on the creation of Neighbourhood Parks and Garden as a temperature coping strategy by the households across the selected towns is presented in **Table 1**. The result shows a consensus among the households that the siting and development of neighborhood parks and garden was the responsibility of the governments at different levels. This was reflected in households' responses where no household indicated creating Parks and Garden as a personal temperature coping approach. However, children who desire to recreate use available spaces like access road around them to play soccer, not minding risks involved.
