ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a broad-brush inventory of the biophysical base on which southern Africa depends for its agriculture. It examines possible changes to the status quo under a likely scenario of environmental change in the region. In order to understand fully the problems and challenges facing the southern African agricultural sector against a backdrop of environmental change, it is necessary to examine briefly the historical context of southern African agriculture. Natural vegetation has, in a number of instances, been negatively impacted by arable farming. Smallholder farmers in the dryland areas of southern African have a tradition of cattle ownership and rely heavily on draft animal power and ox-drawn mouldboard ploughs for primary tillage and crop establishment. One of the major constraints of sustainable crop production in the dryland areas of southern Africa is crop losses due to weeds, diseases, and insects. The chapter explains extensive livestock farming with cattle, sheep and goats.
