Abstract:
Climate change is emerging as one of the unprecedented challenges facing smallholder
farmers in Tanzania who depend largely on rain-fed agricultural production. Weather
forecast and prediction in Tanzania indicate that extremes of drought and flood will be
more frequent and inconsistent. These changes affect smallholder farmers due to the fact
that these farmers are more vulnerable because of limited resources endowment and low
knowledge on how to adapt to climate change impacts. Currently, knowledge within
academic and policy making cycles on how these smallholder farmers adapt to climate
change impacts is limited to permit planning for effective adaptation strategies. This
study therefore assessed adaptation strategies by smallholder rice farmers under the
influence of climate change in Kilombero Basin. Specifically, this study determined
farmers' perception on climate change attributes, identify the impact of climate change to
rice production, identified various adaptation strategies by small scale rice farmers and to
examine sustainability of adaptation strategies by small-scale rice farmers. Data
collection for this study involved interviews with heads of households using
questionnaires, focus group discussion and key informants' interview using checklist
questions. Secondary data were obtained from published and unpublished documents.
Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and content analytical procedures were used
to analyze qualitative data. Results indicated that the adaptation to climate change varied
by household characteristics, knowledge and practices. Households' assets to permit
vibrant adaptations to climate change were found weak and inconsistence in rainfall
pattern and inadequate climatic information complicated further the ability of various
households to effectively adapt to climate change. In order to improve adaptability to
climate change impacts, awareness rising among fanners is recommended through
training and information transfer through mass media. Also Tanzania Meteorological
Agency has to put more emphasis on information flow concerning weather forecasts to
reach wider groups of smallholder farmers.
