Heat stress risk assessment of farmers working in a hot environment: What about in Zambia?

TL;DR

Farmers in Zambia face significant heat stress risks due to climate change, requiring better monitoring and mitigation strategies.

Contribution

This study assesses heat stress risk among Zambian farmers using WBGT readings and identifies factors contributing to the risk.

Findings

62.5% of farmers in Monze and Sioma districts were at risk of heat stress.

WBGT readings exceeded 28°C, indicating high heat stress for heavy workloads.

Male and female farmers, mostly crop farmers, were studied with age mean of 45.4 years.

Abstract

•Farmers are vulnerable to heat stress as a direct health effect of climate change.•Heat stress risk assessment and early warning systems are beneficial for farmers.•Tree planting benefits not only the environment but also the health of farmers.•Health and meteorological data are essential for monitoring climate change effects.

Farmers are vulnerable to heat stress as a direct health effect of climate change.

Heat stress risk assessment and early warning systems are beneficial for farmers.

Tree planting benefits not only the environment but also the health of farmers.

Health and meteorological data are essential for monitoring climate change effects.

Farmers are vulnerable to heat stress due to the nature of their work and the environment. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the heat stress risk among rural farmers in the Monze and Sioma districts of Zambia.

Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) readings were taken by trained farmers to assess environmental heat stress risk. Additionally, structured questionnaires on heat stress risk at the workplace were used to assess the personal experience of 200 farmers from September to November 2021.

Male (n = 92) and female (n = 108) respondents had a mean age of 45.4 years (SD = 13.75) with 97.5 % of respondents being crop farmers. WBGT readings of greater than 28 °C, which is considered an upper heat stress risk threshold for a heavy workload, were recorded. Results revealed 62.5 % of the farmers were at risk of developing heat stress, with multiple factors emerging as potential contributors to the risk.

There is a growing heat stress risk among farmers in Monze and Sioma, along with a need to investigate heat stress effects on productivity and specific drivers of heat stress that consider differential geographical and population demographic variations. Climate adaptive and mitigative measures, including Indigenous knowledge-based approaches used by communities in rural area's should be assessed.

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