Similarly, we mapped their agricultural and animal husbandry activities and the annual distribution of on- and off-farm incomes and then combined

the participatory exercise results from all four communities into a generalized seasonal calendar. While individual factors, such as the incidence of diseases and food costs differed between communities, a similar pattern of hardship could be identified in all study locations for a typical year. The core of the calendars thus reflects farmers’ general consensus of a ‘conventional’ bimodal rainy season, irrespective of the observed and perceived changes in rainfall dynamics in recent years. The ‘wheel of DMXAA datasheet hardship’, seen in Fig. 6, is a summary of these findings indicating that livelihood conditions and activities differ considerably throughout the year, rendering farmer households more or less exposed and sensitive to climate-induced stressors and with more or less capacity to cope with impacts. Interestingly, comparisons of data from the four sites show that conditions

differ more throughout the year than between locations. When integrating the results two key periods of severe livelihood hardship can be identified; January–March and October–November. Within these, January and February are the worst hardship MRT67307 purchase months because climate exposure coincides with increased sensitivity to diseases and limited buffers, due chiefly to lack of food and income

opportunities imposed by high expenditures for food, school fees, medical needs, renting of grazing land and hiring of agricultural labor. Similar conditions apply to the months of October and November but are usually less severe since households still have staple crops left from the previous harvest and can also sell newly harvested vegetables. Fig. 6 ‘Wheel of hardship’—a generalized seasonal calendar illustrating livelihood conditions Carnitine palmitoyltransferase II and stress based on participatory exercises with smallholder farmers from four communities in the LVB Fortunately, periods of recovery also exist, the main occurring between May and August. From data we learn that crops have matured and fish are abundant in lakes and selleck products streams, which means that caloric (and protein) needs are met while crops can be sold and possibly even stored. Grazing land is also lush and green, so there is no problem of extra costs for animal feed. Subsequently, families who can afford them make major household investments, including purchases of livestock, house-building materials, clothes, agricultural tools and seeds. Medical check-ups and veterinary visits are also common.