Climate change and grape wine farmers in South Africa : investigating adaptation measures in Northern Cape Province

Abstract

The twenty-first century will undoubtedly be marked by the consequences of climate change and its impact on human society and ecosystems. Predictions are being made that South Africa might lose 55% of its wine-cultivating land due to global warming and climate change. South Africa can expect an increase in temperatures between 4 and 10 degrees by 2050. Climate change has led to unpredictable weather patterns such as drought, extreme heat, heavy rains, hailstorms, and frost. These weather patterns have already resulted in vineyard losses and reduced yields in many countries and negatively impact the quality of wine grapes. South Africa wine grapes farmers are therefore under pressure to find ways to reduce the impact of climate change. This study investigated the Northern Cape wine grape farmers' adaptation methods to mitigate the impact of climate change, exposure, and vulnerability. This region was chosen due to the exceptional climate characterised by extremely high temperatures and low rainfall compared to