CLIMATE CHANGE TRAINING MANUAL

The document outlines a training program for smallholder livestock farmers in South Africa, focusing on the distinction between weather and climate, the drivers of climate change, and practical adaptation strategies. It provides a structured approach for two workshops designed to help farmers identify climate indicators—such as heat stress in livestock and shifting rainfall patterns—and adopt management practices for water, feed, animal health, and herd size to protect their livelihoods.

• The manual distinguishes between weather, which refers to "short-term conditions of the atmosphere" that change daily or hourly, and climate, which consists of "long-term patterns of weather in a region (usually 30+ years)". Understanding this difference is presented as essential for farmers because their livelihoods depend on long-term trends affecting "grazing cycles, water availability and disease risks".
• Climate change is attributed primarily to human activities, specifically the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), deforestation, industrial processes, and agriculture through livestock and fertilisers, which release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane.
• The document identifies specific climate change indicators for farmers to observe, including temperature signs (more hot days, heat stress in livestock), rainfall signs (late rainy seasons, flash floods), environmental signs (drying streams, soil erosion), and livestock signs (lower fertility, more tick-borne diseases).
• Practical adaptation strategies for rural farmers are categorized into several management areas: water management (e.g., rainwater harvesting), feed and pasture management (e.g., planting drought-tolerant fodder like lucerne), animal health (e.g., strategic vaccination), herd management (e.g., using hardy breeds like Bonsmara or Afrikaner), and financial adaptation (e.g., diversifying income through poultry or crafts).

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). CLIMATE CHANGE TRAINING MANUAL. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/climate-change-training-manual.pdf

Chicago

WWF South Africa. CLIMATE CHANGE TRAINING MANUAL. n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/climate-change-training-manual.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=CLIMATE CHANGE TRAINING MANUAL |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/climate-change-training-manual.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafricandclimate, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{CLIMATE CHANGE TRAINING MANUAL}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/climate-change-training-manual.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }