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Recent reports produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)(2001, 2007, 2012) conclude not only that green-house gas emissions are already beginning to change the global climate, but also that Africa will experience increased water stress, decreased yields from rain-fed agriculture, increased food insecurity and malnutrition, sealevel rise, and an increase in arid and semi-arid land as a result of this process. Extreme weather events, notably flood, drought and tropical storms are also expected to increase in frequency and intensity across the continent (IPCC, 2007). These projections are consistent with recent climatic trends in southern Africa, including Zimbabwe. The effects of this exposure to changes in climate are exacerbated by the high levels of sensitivity of the social and ecological systems in the region, and the limited capacity of civil society, private sector and government actors to respond appropriately to these emerging threats.

It is widely recognised that Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world due to widespread poverty, limited coping capacity and its highly variable climate (Madzwamuse, 2010; UNFCCC, 2007). Zimbabwe is particularly vulnerable due to its heavy dependence on rain-fed agriculture and climate sensitive resources (Chagutah, 2010). Agriculture’s sensitivity to climate-induced water stress is likely to intensify the existing