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Table 2 Climate-related challenges and identified policy solutions from qualitative interviews with community members in drought-affected communities and key stakeholders

From: “Burnt by the scorching sun”: climate-induced livelihood transformations, reproductive health, and fertility trajectories in drought-affected communities of Zambia

Domain

Challenges Identified

Policy Solutions

Agriculture

Poor crop yields due to rainfall anomalies

• Crop diversification, including hybrid seed introduction

• Planting climate-resilient crops with early maturing seeds (e.g., legumes, sunflower)

• Investments in alternative, renewable energy sources to reduce deforestation demands

• Fertilizer and farming input subsidies

Economic development

Food insecurity, hunger, & malnutrition

• Food relief for the most vulnerable households

• Start-up capital (via low-interest loans) for business ventures

• Sink more boreholes for human and livestock consumption

SRH

Unaffordability & inaccessibility of SRH services

• Procurement and promotion of long-acting reversible contraceptive methods (i.e., Sayana Press)

• Task-shifting to and expanded financing of non-facility-based health workforce cadres (i.e., community-based distributors)

• Construction and staffing of additional rural health posts