Abstract:
Climate change has different effects between men and women, but disaggregated data by gender to realize
specific adaptation practices undertaken by men and women in Tanzania are scarce. To fill part of the
information gap, this study analyzed adaptation practices to the effects of climate change by gender in Bahi and
Kondoa Districts Dodoma region, Tanzania. The study also analyzed perception of climate change and identified
elements influencing adaptation practices. A sample of 360 respondents, 12 focus groups of discussants and 78
key informants were consulted. Analysis involved descriptive statistics for quantitative data and content analysis
for qualitative data. Results showed that women were more devoted to adaptation practices that enabled them to
adapt to or reduce hunger/food, water and firewood shortages while men were more devoted to adaptation
practices that enabled them to adapt to or reduce effects of climate change on crops, livestock and environment.
The corrected Rao-Scott chi-square (χc
2) test showed significant association between adaptation practices
implemented by respondents and sex, revealing that undertaken adaptation practices varied by sex. Respondents
perceived climate change and managed to identify adaptation practices undertaken to manage climate change
effects. The findings can be used to improve/formulate appropriate adaptation practices to manage climate
change problems in agriculture sector. The study recommends systematic collection of in-depth information of
this kind at the community level in other areas of Dodoma Region, Tanzania and the LDCs in order for the
policy makers to design and implement appropriate interventions to manage climate change problems.
