Smallholder farmers in the Great Ruaha River sub-Basin of Tanzania: coping or adapting to rainfall variability?

Abstract

Climate change and variability are pervasive contemporary realities in Africa. In this paper, we investigate climate stressors (i.e. rainfall patterns and drought) that have occurred in the Great Ruaha River sub-Basin (GRRB), Tanzania. By making use of a mixed-methods approach, including both quantitative and qualitative data collection, we demonstrate that changes in rainfall pattern experienced by rural farmers in the GRRB have increased since the 1990s, as have limiting factors constraining sustainable response options. By interrogating data from focus group discussions with smallholder farmers, household questionnaire surveys, and records from government institutions, we show that sustainable livelihoods in this area are also being compromised by non-climatic stresses such as a lack of coordinated crop markets and poor access to loans, inadequate weather forecast information, and poor irrigation infrastructure and varying climate. As a consequence of climatic stresses, resources utilization, diversification of farming methods, and broader structural and development concerns, smallholder farmers have responded with corresponding changes in coping and adaptation strategies. Smallholder farmers are more frequently resorting to shorter term coping strategies rather than longer term adaptation, and are thus still heavily reliant on social, economic, and policy support to improve both their shorter term coping and longer term adaptive capacity.

Environmental change, adaptation strategies and the relevance of migration in Sub-Saharan drylands

“…Consequently, the low asset profile of parts of the study population at Small Lake Chad has restricted them to actions that are largely reactive (ibid.). According to Pauline et al (2017), many coping strategies could be transformed into longer term adaptation strategies but are limited by non-climatic factors. Whereas coping strategies tend to depend on locally available resources, such as labour, many longer term adaptation methods in the farming sector require financial capital or government support, which are often unavailable to smallholder farmers (ibid.).…”

Whose knowledge matters in climate change adaptation? Perceived and measured rainfall trends during the last half century in south‐western Tanzania

“…These three stations were selected based on availability of rainfall records and proximity to the study villages. Rainfall characteristics for Igawa meteorological station were used for Ibohora village (~10 km apart), those for Iringa meteorological station were used for Ikuvala village (~40 km apart), and those for Mtera meteorological station were used for Ruaha Mbuyuni village (~40 km apart) (Figure ) (Pauline et al ., ).…”

“…An equal number of sample units was selected to allow for statistical comparisons. Two focus group discussions were held in each village (6 – 12 household heads per group) (Pauline et al ., ).…”

Pathways to Enhance Climate Change Resilience among Pastoral Households in Northern Tanzania

“…There is a strong consensus that temperatures, based on medium emissions scenarios, are likely to rise by more than 2 C in most parts of Africa by the end of the century (Orlove 2019). Concomitantly, extreme events such as tropical cyclones, increasing rainfall intensity, and increased probability of drought are gradually becoming common (Kangalawe 2017; Pauline et al 2017). Climate change impacts are already experienced in many locations (Pardoe et al 2018).…”