Climate Change News Is Awash Everywhere, The Phenomenon Is Hitting Hard‟: Dialoguing with Rural Communities of Selected Districts in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The article explores how the availability of climate change news in Zimbabwe is pushing the rural communities‟ understanding of threats posed by climate change on rural livelihoods and ways of life. Climate change has become a global threat to the rural livelihoods with the erosion of livelihoods leading to rural-urban exodus that is draining rural brains. This article is based on the argument that the mainstreaming of climate change news increases the awareness of rural people and aids their adaptation and resilience strategies. The study used a qualitative methodology with a bias towards an exploratory research design. The study used focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to gather data. The study used purposive sampling and adhered to all ethical principles. It found that climate change is hitting communal areas hard but rural communities have been benefiting from government and private media of information dissemination of news. The rural communities have been building resilience and adaptation to the vagaries of climate change. The study concludes that climate change remains a global threat to food security and rural development and more focus on climate news targeting rural communities must be introduced to fast-track rural development and resilience building. The study recommends the introduction of community radios and media outlets.