Impact of Climate Change on Food Security and Water Supply in South Africa : Reports from Local Authorities 

The impacts of climate change have been felt by billions of people across the globe and have limited their chances to escape poverty. This study explores the impact of climate change in the local municipalities of South Africa and the possible sustainability strategies to ensure that development is resilient to climate change. The focus is placed on the impacts of climate change on water supply and food security. A qualitative research approach was deemed appropriate for this study and an exploratory research design has been used. The participants of this study include sixty-five (65) municipal employees, including health and agricultural employees. Data was collected from the municipal employees using online interviews. Data were analysed using Atlas-ti software (version 8.4). The steps applied during data analysis include the organisation of data, review of transcripts, initiation of coding, coding of data, representation of data, and interpretation and summarising of data. All necessary ethical concepts involved in the study were observed. Findings show that climate change has numerous impacts on the livelihoods of South Africans, which has impacted negatively on their developmental pace. Responses gathered from the participants disclosed that the demand for water has increased, while its supply has drastically reduced due to evaporation. More so, the arable land has frequently decreased due to dearth of rainfall. Against this background, the study recommends that local authorities should improve the climate risk considerations into meaningful policies to guarantee positive development in water supply and food security.