By Lisah Chigarire
Beneath the most talked about visible challenges of climate change that are often centered on
droughts, poor harvests, water shortages and rising food prices; lies another growing concern: the
emotional and psychological toll of climate change on the people whose livelihoods sustain the
nation.
Climate change is not only an environmental and economic challenge; it is also a contributing
risk factor for psychological distress, threatening people’s emotional well-being, livelihoods and
ability to cope with everyday life.
When the environment becomes a burden
Zimbabwe’s experience with Cyclone Idai in 2019 illustrates the human cost of extreme weather.
Communities in Chimanimani suffered deaths, destruction of homes and the loss of livelihoods.
For survivors, such experiences can bring grief, fear, anxiety and lasting emotional distress. The
World Health Organization recognizes that climate-related disasters can affect mental health
through trauma, displacement and the loss of social and economic security.
The psychological effects are not limited to sudden disasters. The 2023/2024 El Niño-induced
drought provides another example. According to the World Bank’s Zimbabwe Economic Update,
maize yields declined by approximately 60% compared with the five-year average, worsening
food insecurity and economic hardship.
For a farmer who invested scarce money in seed and fertilizer, only to watch crops dry in the
field, the loss is more than financial. It is the fear of not having enough food. It is worrying about
school fees, debts and the next planting season. It is the exhaustion of trying to remain strong for
a family while carrying uncertainty every day.
Over time, such experiences may contribute to chronic stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms,
hopelessness, sleep disturbances and poor concentration. Environmental grief, which involves
sadness over the loss of valued landscapes and livelihoods, may also affect people whose
identities and traditions are closely connected to the land.
These outcomes are not inevitable, and not everyone exposed to climate-related hardship
develops a mental health condition. However, repeated exposure to environmental and financial
pressures can increase vulnerability, particularly among people with limited resources and
inadequate access to support.
How climate change affects Zimbabwe’s economic supply chain
The psychological consequences become clearer when we consider how climate change affects
interconnected sectors of the economy.
Agriculture and food security: Droughts and floods reduce crop yields, damage livestock and
threaten farmers’ incomes. Reduced production can contribute to food shortages and higher
prices, increasing financial stress among both rural producers and urban consumers.
Mining and industry: Mining depends on reliable water supplies, energy and transport
infrastructure. Climate-related water shortages and extreme weather can disrupt operations,
threaten employment and increase uncertainty among workers and their families.
Transport and trade: Flood-damaged roads and disrupted transport routes can delay deliveries
and increase costs. For informal traders and small-business owners, unreliable supplies and
falling profits can create constant worry.
Water, energy and public health: Water scarcity and damage to infrastructure can affect
households, agriculture, mining and manufacturing. These disruptions may increase the cost of
living, threaten household security and intensify emotional strain.
The effects can spread throughout the supply chain. When farmers produce less, traders may
receive fewer goods, transporters may lose business and consumers may face higher prices.
Consequently, climate-related economic disruption can become a source of psychological
distress across different communities and occupations.
Why mental health matters
Health psychology examines how psychological, behavioral, social and environmental factors
influence health and well-being. It helps us understand why climate change should not be
addressed through environmental interventions alone.
The transactional model of stress and coping suggests that people feel stressed when the
demands they face seem greater than the resources they have to deal with them. A farmer facing
repeated crop failure, for example, may struggle when financial resources, social support and
alternative livelihood opportunities are limited.
Similarly, the Health Belief Model helps explain how people’s perceptions of environmental
risks influence protective behavior. However, awareness alone is insufficient. People also need
practical resources, reliable information and institutional support to adopt climate-resilient
practices.
Climate change therefore threatens mental well-being not only through direct exposure to
disasters but also by undermining the economic and social conditions that help people feel safe,
secure and in control of their lives.
What should Zimbabwe do?
Zimbabwe needs a response that protects both livelihoods and psychological well-being.
Mental health support should be incorporated into disaster response programs, with accessible
services for people affected by droughts, floods, displacement and livelihood losses.
Communities also need education on stress management, coping strategies and where to seek
professional help.
At the same time, Zimbabwe must invest in practical solutions: climate-smart agriculture,
irrigation, water conservation, resilient infrastructure and alternative livelihoods. Reducing
economic vulnerability is also a form of mental health protection.
Importantly, people should not be left to cope through resilience alone. Telling someone to “be
strong” does not replace food security, income, counselling or a working support system.
Psychological care must go hand in hand with practical assistance that addresses the economic
conditions contributing to distress.
Protecting the environment means protecting people
Zimbabwe’s economic future depends on more than productive farms, functioning and profitable
mines and reliable transport systems. It also depends on the psychological well-being of the
people behind them.
A distressed farmer may struggle to plan for the next season. An anxious trader may find it
difficult to make sound business decisions. A financially strained household may struggle to
maintain its health, relationships and hope.
Climate change is therefore not simply an environmental issue. It is a public health and
psychological concern with consequences for national development.
As Zimbabwe works towards a climate-resilient future, protecting mental health must become
part of the response. We must protect our crops, water supplies, infrastructure and businesses,
but we must also protect the minds, dignity and livelihoods of the people who sustain them.
A truly climate-resilient Zimbabwe is one where people can do more than surviving
environmental change. It is one where they are supported to heal, adapt and rebuild their lives.
