Browsing by Author "Mwamfupe,Davis G"

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Farmers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of climate information services in predicting hazard occurrences in Kondoa and Kiteto districts, Tanzania
(The sub saharan journal of social sciences and humanities (SJSSH), 2024) Khatibu,Salma; Ngowi,Edwin E; Mwamfupe,Davis G
The heightened occurrence of climate-related disasters such as droughts, floods, and storms has amplified agricultural vulnerability in developing countries, particularly affecting farmers’ decision-making processes. Despite the availability of Climate Information Services (CIS), their perceived effectiveness in accurately predicting climate hazards remains underexplored. This study examines farmers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of CIS in predicting climate-related hazards in Kondoa and Kiteto districts, Tanzania, where 360 farmers who have access to the Global Framework for Climate Service Adoption in Africa (GFCS-APA) program were surveyed. Using a 5-point Likert scale, Kendall’s W-test, and Chi-squared tests, the study revealed significant variation in the perceived relevance and utility of different CIS. The findings highlight that droughts and erratic rainfall are the most prevalent hazards, affecting 88.91% and 75.21% of farmers, respectively. Meanwhile, flooding impacts 86.35% of farmers in Bukulu and 56.03% in Emarty, with pest and disease outbreaks affecting approximately 41-43% of households. Farmers ranked drought as the most critical hazard (mean rank 2.61), followed by erratic rainfall (2.82) and pest outbreaks (3.09). The Kendall's W-test (W = 0.185, p < 0.001) confirmed moderate agreement on these rankings, with considerable heterogeneity in perceptions. Regarding CIS effectiveness, farmers ranked agrometeorological advisory services highest (mean score 4.72), followed by seasonal weather forecasts (4.36). However, extreme weather predictions were perceived as less useful (mean score 3.53). The Kendall’s W coefficient for CIS rankings was 0.411 (p < 0.001), indicating strong consensus among farmers. Despite these services’ availability, qualitative data suggested that their technical language and lack of location-specific details limited practical application. The study recommends enhancing CIS through participatory approaches and improved dissemination strategies to better tailor services to farmers’ needs, ultimately fostering more resilient agricultural practices in the face of climate variability.