Climate change adaptation for smallholder farmers in rural communities: the case of Mkomazi sub-catchment, Tanzania

Abstract

Today, climate change is a global challenge that attracts much attention and debates at all levels. The current body of knowledge informs that human development quest has increased concentration of GHGs into the atmosphere thereby causing global warming. Most of the initial efforts to address climate change concentrated on mitigation. However, during the last decade, calls for implementing adaptation actions to deal with the impacts being experienced increased. Thus, adaptation is now a priority for developing countries particularly LDCs. Agriculture is an important sector worldwide but nowhere other than in the developing world is it the most crucial aspect to deal with. However, this sector is one of the most vulnerable and sensitive to change and variability of the climate. Significance of smallholder agriculture on livelihoods of a majority poor in the developing world and its vulnerability to impacts of climate change and variability motivated this study. Changes in farming practices in the Mkomazi sub-catchment, Tanzania (for example, shifts in crop production areas, crop growing patterns and type of crops grown most) were reported and observed. However, the real factors motivating such changes in the area remained unknown. Thus, the objective of this research was to explore, analyze and explain factors that motivate smallholder farmers in Mkomazi sub-catchment to change their farming practices overtime. It also sought to analyze socio-economic implications of the changes and recommend appropriate policy and strategic actions to assist smallholder farmers adapt and enhance their resilience. Using a mixed research approach and five data collection methods (household questionnaire survey, experts’ interviews, smallholder farmers FGD, rainfall and temperature records as well as stakeholder validation workshop), the study attempted to answer the following five research questions: Are there any possible changes in the local climate and how are they perceived and explained by smallholder farmers? Are there any changes in farming practices in the area? What factors motivate decisions to change farming practice? What are socio-economic implications of the changes in the local climate at household and community level? What are policy and strategic interventions to support smallholder farmers to adapt and enhance their long-term resilience? Results from the study revealed that the state of climate in the area is changing; rainfall shows a decreasing trend while temperature indicates an increasing trend. Smallholder farmers have also been changing their farming practices overtime. These farmers have introduced new crops and crop varieties; adopted crops and crop varieties, which are shorter cycle, drought tolerant and marketable; and they have also stopped cultivation of some crops as well as crop varieties. Smallholder farmers are engaging in various economic activities to diversify their income sources. The changes were motivated by multiple factors but the leading included changes in the climate, markets and high living costs and demand for personal and household needs. Change and variability of climate is the most dominant factor. Changes in the local climate and subsequent changes in farming practices had mostly negative implications at household and community levels. They include water shortage, decrease in income, food insecurity, threats to human health, social conflicts, increase in deforestation and forest degradation, and deterioration of life quality. Farmers recommended various interventions to support them to adapt in the following thematic areas: research and development to enhance resilience to changes in rainfall and temperature regimes; strengthening sustainable management of water resources to deal with increasing dry conditions and unpredictability of rainfall; and support diversification of household incomes through less climate sensitive income options. Other recommended aspects include enhancing access to incentives, subsidies and introducing crop insurance to farmers; and enhancing farmers’ adaptive capacity through provision of technological and technical support like adaptation technologies, early warnings, education and training. Using a combination of three categories of data (agro-ecological, social and meteorological) from five sources (questionnaire, interviews, FGD, climate records and a workshop), the study successfully brings up multiple considerations taken into account by smallholder farmers to make farm production decisions; and heterogeneity of crops and crop varieties for four villages within similar agro-ecological characteristics. The study recommends use of incentives mechanisms such as REDD+ and PES in addressing problems of unsustainable resource use while increasing availability of ecosystem goods and services like water. It also recommends a multi-stakeholders approach in addressing issues of awareness creation and adaptation education to smallholder farmers; availability of inputs, markets, and institutional capacity building. The study emphasizes on use of available opportunities at all levels to support smallholder farmers to adapt and enhance their long term resilience. Finally, the study recommends a scientific investigation to model climate variables against crop production to clearly identify the extent to which changes in the local climate economically affect smallholder farmers’ production and incomes. In addition, it is important to identify the contribution of each of the several economic activities and income sources farmers depend on, i.e. crop production, remittance, charcoal making, animal keeping, small-scale fishing, small business, tourism, selling labour, etc. These two studies will fill the gaps, which the current study did not manage to cover.