This project is informed by the fact that South Africa (SA) is a drought-prone, water-scarce country, that in recent years has seen an increased number of extreme weather events such as droughts and floods.

This has placed increased pressure on crops and livestock and has caused damage to human settlements.

There is mounting evidence of a growing crisis affecting poor farming communities across the country. Despite this growing crisis governance in land and agriculture remains weak and largely absent in some areas.

The complex array of livelihood strategies adopted by small farming households to cope with these crises are insufficiently understood.