Coping strategies and resilience of agricultural areas against environmental variability

我们开展了一项综合研究，以分析赞比亚南部选定地区农民的应对策略和粮食安全对气候冲击的复原力。我们的实证结果表明，基于天气指数的作物保险扩大了播种期较早的种植面积。食物频率问卷(FFQ)显示，赞比亚农户的饮食模式缺乏能量和动物蛋白摄入量。至于农业技术，当玉米歉收时，甘薯等替代作物增加了粮食消费水平。复原力地图显示，小规模农民的复原力最低。重要的是要全面考虑粮食安全问题，而不是只注重提高农业生产。为了建立赞比亚农村家庭的长期复原力，需要通过加强社会安全网和改善道路和通信、教育、保健/营养状况等基础设施来加强适应能力。

We conducted an integrated study for analyzing farmers' coping strategy and resilience of food security against climatic shocks in selected areas in Southern Zambia. Our empirical results suggest that weather index based cropinsurance expanded cropping area with earlier sowing period. Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) revealed that the diet pattern of Zambian farm household members lack energy and animal protein intake. As for agricultural technology, alternative crops such as sweet potato increased food consumption levels when maize failed. Resilience mapping showed that small scale farmers are the least resilient. It is important to consider food security in comprehensive manner rather than focusing only on improving agricultural production. In order to build long-term resilience of rural households in Zambia, strengthening adaptive capacity by enhancing social safety net and improving infrastructure such as roads and communication, education, health/nutritional status are required.