Department of Development and Strategic Studies

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Determinants of farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies against climate variability and change: Lessons from central Tanzania in Manyoni district
(Elsevier, 2024-03-27) Kabote, Samwel J.; Mbwambo, Edward P.; Kazuzuru, Benedicto B.
Farmers’ adaptation strategies against climate variability and change impact are fundamental in abating the effects in this epoch. Previous studies have confirmed the presence of context-specific farmers’ adaptation strategies in Tanzania. However, it is not clear what factors influence farmers to select specific adaptation strategies. This study contributes to filling this knowledge gap. We used the cross-sectional research design in a survey of a random sample of 330 small-scale farmers. The multivariate probit was used to model the factors determining the choice of adaptation strategies. Farmers adapted a number of strategies, nonetheless, there were four key adaptation strategies: drought-resistant varieties, use of early maturing varieties, resistant livestock breeds, and conservation agriculture. Farmers used more than one strategy, and the choice was determined by multiple factors that showed a statistically significant impact at 5 %. We categorize the factors into four groups: (i) individual farmer and or household characteristics covering age, farming experience of the household head; household size; and household wealth, especially livestock ownership (ii) farm characteristics like location of the farm and farm size (iii) institutional factors that include access to extension services, technology, and provision of title deeds for land ownership to the farmers; and (iv) knowledge of manifestation of CV & C like shifting of rain seasons, and awareness of using meteorological information in decision making. These factors should be considered in policy development to heighten the effectiveness of the adaptation strategies in cushioning climate variability and change impact in the study area and central Tanzania at large.
Effectiveness of smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies in improving well-being in light of climate change in Iringa district Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2016) Kihupi, M. L.
Climate change is happening and poses significant challenges to households, businesses and governments. Different adaptation strategies are carried against impact of climate change by smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas of Iringa District but little is known about their effectiveness in improving smallholders’ well-being. The overall objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of adaptation strategies in a changing climate and climate variability in semi-arid areas of Iringa District. Specifically, the study examined smallholder farmers’ perceptions towards climate change, identified smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies against impacts of climate change, explored barriers to smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies, and examined the effectiveness of adaptation strategies as is being reflected in smallholder farmers’ well-being. The research design was cross sectional. A multistage sampling procedure was applied to select divisions, wards, villages and households. Ismani and Pawaga Divisions of Iringa District were purposively selected based on their climatic conditions. A total of 240 respondents were drawn randomly from eight villages. Data were collected through household survey, key informant interviews, observation and focus group discussions methods. Meteorological data were collected from Tanzania Meteorological Agency. Quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS and qualitative data through content analysis. Instant Statistical Packages for Agro-climatological data was used in analyzing the 54 years meteorological data of Nduli meteorological station in Iringa District. The findings revealed that smallholder farmers perceived climate change in terms of change in temperature, changes in rainfall, increase in drought condition and increase in malaria and crop pests and diseases. Change in rainfall pattern, temperature pattern and occurrence of pests and diseases had significant impact on smallholder farmers’ households whose livelihood depends on rain-fed farming. The findings also show that smallholder farmers were adapting to impact of climate change through irrigation, crop diversification, planting early maturing maize varieties, planting drought resistant crops, changing of planting dates, and agriculture diversification and non-farm activities. Barriers to smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies identified were unreliability of information on weather forecast, lack of access to agricultural extension services, and limited access to water for irrigation. Other barriers were lack of capital, lack of access to affordable credit institutions, lack of farm assets (plough and tractors), and cost of agricultural inputs. In addition, the results revealed that there were relationships between age, income and barriers to adaptation strategies. Existences of those barriers hindered effective implementation of adaptation strategies in the study area. The findings revealed that some of the adaptation strategies to impact of climate change such as change in planting dates, planting early maturing maize varieties, irrigation, application of fertilizer, and involving in petty business had positive influence on smallholder farmers’ well-being (p<0.05). This means that those adaptation strategies which had positive influence on smallholder farmers’ well-being were effective against impact of climate change. Government and other stakeholders should facilitate adaptation by enabling farmers to overcome barriers reported in this study. The government of Tanzania and other stakeholders should also help smallholder farmers by supporting them in those adaptation strategies which proved to be effective to impact of climate change.
Impact of climate variability and change adaptation strategies on technical efficiency of sorghum production in Manyoni district, Tanzania
(Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2023) Mbwambo, E.P; Kabote, S.J; Kazuzuru, B
Climate variability and change adaptation strategies are increasingly becoming fundamental for improving efficiency in agricultural production in Tanzania and elsewhere in developing countries. However, empirical evidence on how adaptation strategies improve agricultural technical efficiency on drought resistant varieties like sorghum is inadequate in Tanzania. This study was conducted to address this knowledge lacuna in the literature. With cross-sectional research design, we used a household survey to collect data from 330 randomly selected household heads. A Cobb Douglas stochastic frontier model was used to determine the impact of adaptation strategies on technical efficiency of sorghum production. Farmers adapted a number of strategies including drought tolerant crops, conservation agriculture, drainage system, early maturing crops, use of hired labour, resistant livestock breeds, membership in farmer organizations, access to extension services, and access to credit to cushion climate variability and change impact. Six strategies including use of drought tolerant crops, drainage systems, conservation agriculture, membership in farmer organizations, access to extension services and access to credit showed significant impact on technical efficiency of sorghum production at 5% level of significance. Such strategies were effective in improving technical efficiency of sorghum production. However, about half of the respondents were less efficient. Therefore, farmers’ adaptation strategies were indisputably essential in semi-arid environments like Manyoni district. Nevertheless, a policy to heighten use of the effective farmers’ adaptation strategies to cushion climate variability and change impact should be devised and effectively executed to strengthen farmers’ efficiency.
Impact of climate variability and change adaptation strategies on technical efficiency of sorghum production in Manyoni District, Tanzania
(Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2023) Mbwambo, E. P.; Kabote, S. J.; Kazuzuru, B.
Climate variability and change adaptation strategies are increasingly becoming fundamental for improving efficiency in agricultural production in Tanzania and elsewhere in developing countries. However, empirical evidence on how adaptation strategies improve agricultural technical efficiency on drought resistant varieties like sorghum is inadequate in Tanzania. This study was conducted to address this knowledge lacuna in the literature. With cross-sectional research design, we used a household survey to collect data from 330 randomly selected household heads. A Cobb- Douglas stochastic frontier model was used to determine the impact of adaptation strategies on technical efficiency of sorghum production. Farmers adapted a number of strategies including drought tolerant crops, conservation agriculture, drainage system, early maturing crops, use of hired labour, resistant livestock breeds, membership in farmer organizations, access to extension services, and access to credit to cushion climate variability and change impact. Six strategies including use of drought tolerant crops, drainage systems, conservation agriculture, membership in farmer organizations, access to extension services and access to credit showed significant impact on technical efficiency of sorghum production at 5% level of significance. Such strategies were effective in improving technical efficiency of sorghum production. However, about half of the respondents were less efficient. Therefore, farmers’ adaptation strategies were indisputably essential in semi-arid environments like Manyoni district. Nevertheless, a policy to heighten use of the effective farmers’ adaptation strategies to cushion climate variability and change impact should be devised and effectively executed to strengthen farmers’ efficiency.
Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies to Impact of Climate Change in Semi-arid Areas of Iringa District Tanzania
(International Institute for Science, Technology & Education (IISTE), 2015) Kihupi, Mary L; Mahonge, Christopher; Chingonikaya, Emmanuel E.
The current climate is already marginal with respect to precipitation in many parts of Africa, especially in semiarid areas. Impact of climate change will bring substantial losses especially to smallholder farmers whose main source of livelihood derives from agriculture. Such impacts can be significantly reduced through adaptation. Given the high dependence on rain-fed agriculture and prevailing drought condition of semi-arid areas of Iringa district, the area may be quite vulnerable to the current and future climatic changes. The frequency supply of food relief from the Tanzania government to smallholder farmers in Ismani, emphasizes its vulnerability to climate changes. Therefore, this study determined adaptation measures carried out in semi-arid areas of Iringa District Ismani and Pawaga Divisions in particular. The research design was cross sectional. A multistage sampling procedure was applied in selecting divisions, wards, villages and households. Ismani and Pawaga divisions were purposeful selected basing on their climatic condition. A total of 240 respondents were selected randomly from eight villages. Data were collected through household survey, key informant interview, observation and focus group discussion methods. Quantitative data analysis was done using SPSS whereby descriptive statistics were computed. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that smallholder farmers in Pawaga and Ismani divisions were adapting to impact of climate change through irrigation, crop diversification, planting early maturing maize varieties, planting drought resistant crops, changing of planting dates, and agriculture diversification and non-farm activities. It can be concluded that the smallholder farmers in both divisions used various adaption strategies against climate change impact. However, the farmers in the two divisions still face the impact of climate change in their livelihoods. Based on the conclusion made in this study, there are required efforts from various stakeholders including government to improve the adaptation strategies to be appropriate and effective.

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