Smallholder farmers’ levels of adaptive capacity to climate change and variability in Manyoni District, Tanzania
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Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Research & Methodology in Social Science
Abstract
Smallholder farming households in developing countries are most vulnerable to
climate change and variability as their livelihoods are climate-sensitive and they lack
resources to invest on adaptation measures. To formulate appropriate measures to
address this susceptibility, it is essential to understand smallholder farmers’ adaptive
capacity. This study assessed the adaptive capacity to climate change of farming
households in Manyoni District. The specific objectives were: to determine the levels
of adaptive capacity of farming households to climate change and assess the impacts
of households’ socio-demographic characteristics on adaptive capacity levels. A
random sampling technique was adopted to obtain 240 households and data were
collected using questionnaire and FGDs. Both descriptive and inferential statistical
analyses were done using SPSS and excel. Ordinal logistic regression was adopted to
determine influences of households’ socio-demographic characteristics on adaptive
capacity. Majority had low adaptive capacity with financial resources ranking the
highest in the resources that were required for adaptive capacity. Household size was
the strongest predictor of adaptive capacity levels whereas age of the household head
had a negative influence on adaptive capacity. Also majority belonged to low adaptive
capacity levels. The study recommends strengthening of household farming labour for
a more adaptive capacity through sensitization and strengthening farming subsidies. It
also recommends creation of a more conducive financial access such as affordable
credit conditions that will facilitate access to finances so as to sustain the adaptive
capacities of the smallholder households under climate change variability.
Description
Journal article, pp. 19-30
Keywords
Smallholder farmers, Climate change, Adaptive capacity
Citation
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