Effectiveness of small holder farmers adaption strategies in Improving well being in light of climate change in Iringa district Tanzania.
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Date
2016
Authors
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Climate change is happening and poses significant challenges to households, businesses
carried against impact of climate
change by smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas of Iringa District but little is known
about their effectiveness in improving smallholders’ well-being. The overall objective of
this study was to assess the effectiveness of adaptation strategies in a changing climate and
climate variability in semi-arid areas of Iringa District. Specifically, the study examined
smallholder farmers’ perceptions towards climate change, identified smallholder farmers’
adaptation strategies against impacts of climate change, explored barriers to smallholder
farmers’ adaptation strategies, and examined the effectiveness of adaptation strategies as is
being reflected in smallholder farmers’ well-being. The research design was cross
sectional. A multistage sampling procedure was applied to select divisions, wards, villages
based on their climatic conditions. A total of 240 respondents were drawn randomly from
eight villages. Data were collected through household survey, key informant interviews,
observation and focus group discussions methods. Meteorological data were collected
from Tanzania Meteorological Agency. Quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS
and qualitative data through content analysis. Instant Statistical Packages for Agro
climatological data was used in analyzing the 54 years meteorological data of Nduli
meteorological station in Iringa District. The findings revealed that smallholder farmers
perceived climate change in terms of change in temperature, changes in rainfall, increase
in drought condition and increase in malaria and crop pests and diseases. Change in
The findings also show that smallholder farmers were adapting to impact of climate
rainfall pattern, temperature pattern atjd occurrence of pests and diseases had significant
impact on smallholder farmers’ households whose livelihood depends on rain-fed farming.
and governments. Different adaptation strategies are
and households. Ismani and Pawaga Divisions of Iringa District were purposively selected
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change through irrigation, crop diversification, planting early maturing maize varieties,
planting drought resistant crops, changing of planting dates, and agriculture diversification
and non-farm activities. Barriers to smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies identified
were unreliability of information on weather forecast, lack of access to agricultural
extension services, and limited access to water for irrigation. Other barriers were lack of
capital, lack of access to affordable credit institutions, lack of farm assets (plough and
tractors), and cost of agricultural inputs. In addition, the results revealed that there were
relationships between age, income and barriers to adaptation strategies. Existences of
those barriers hindered effective implementation of adaptation strategies in the study area.
The findings revealed that some of the adaptation strategies to impact of climate change
such as change in planting dates, planting early maturing maize varieties, irrigation,
application of fertilizer, and involving in petty business had positive influence on
smallholder farmers’ well-being (p<0.05). This means that those adaptation strategies
which had positive influence on smallholder farmers' well-being were effective against
impact of climate change. Government and other stakeholders should facilitate adaptation
by enabling farmers to overcome barriers reported in this study. The government of
Tanzania and other stakeholders should also help smallholder farmers by supporting them
in those adaptation strategies which proved to be effective to impact of climate change.
Description
Keywords
TANZANIA, Smallholder farmers, Climate change, Iringa