Gender and adaption practices to the effects of climate change in Bahi and Kondoa districts Dodoma region, Tanzania

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.