Climate-Induced Displacement and Migration – Implications on Poverty and Household Food Security in Southern Africa

Sipho Mamba, University of Eswatini

Climate-induced extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, are major drivers of displacement and migration globally, particularly in Southern Africa. In countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Eswatini, recurrent floods and droughts force rural populations to migrate to urban areas due to persistent crop failures. This paper explores the climate change, migration, and development nexus to understand the challenges and opportunities for rural development posed by climate change through migration. Using a desktop review methodology, the study examines scholarly and grey literature from 2000 to 2024 to unpack these linkages. The findings reveal that climate change leads to displacement and migration in Southern Africa, as people flee flood and drought-prone rural areas for safer urban spaces. This migration poses significant challenges for rural development and reduces rural food production but also presents opportunities through remittance flows and skills transfer. The study advocates for policies and strategies to mitigate climate change impacts while harnessing migration’s potential benefits for sustainable development in the region.

Keywords: Internal Migration and Urbanization, Population, Environment, and Climate Change, Population and Development

See extended abstract.