Natural resource use conflicts in a changing climate: The case of the wetlands of Kilombero and Kilosa districts in Tanzania.

In Tanzania studies on conflicts between subsistence farmers and agropastoralists/pastoralists as well communities versus conservationists have been frequently reported. These include studies on water use conflicts in the Pangan River Basin. Agropastoralists have also been evicted as a result of these conflicts. The overriding tendency has thus been centered on discussion about what keeps pastoralists and crop cultivators apart rather than what keeps them together. Although conflicts occur mainly as a result of resource competition, some conflicts constitute only one aspect of a much more complex interaction between the two groups. Little has been documented in examining the relative contribution of climatic and non-climatic factors in aggravating these conflicts and how this triggers various dimensions of conflicts among livelihood groups. This study examined the relative contribution of climatic and non-climatic factors as causes of natural resource conflict, based on a study conducted in Kilosa and Kilombero districts in south-central Tanzania. The study further examined conflict resolution mechanisms in terms of adaptive capacity to address these issues in a changing climate and in particular explored the roles of institutions in conflict resolution, and the associated challenges and opportunities involved. The study was conducted through a household survey, focus group discussions and expert interviews with Kilosa and Kilombero district land planning officers. The aim was to understand the challenges of land use planning and how those transformed into conflicts between users. The results of the interviews in the two districts revealed that there were land conflicts related to boundary disputes between and among villages, investors against villages or communities, and government agencies versus villages or investors. Unlike Kilosa, Kilombero District had more land conflicts involving villages and government institutions. There is a complicated land conflict in 25 villages against the Ramsar site area.

Living and responding to climate variability and change among coffee and banana farmers in the highlands of Moshi rural district, Tanzania.

The study aimed at exploring perceived impacts of climate variability on coffee and banana farming and community responses in the highlands of Moshi Rural District. A socio-economic survey employing qualitative and quantitative research approaches was used. Data were collected using questionnaires, key informant interviews, focus group discussions as well as field observation. A total of 96 farmers were involved in the study. SPSS Statistics software package and Microsoft Excel were used for data processing and analysis. Findings showed that communities are knowledgeable about climate variability. Their knowledge is based on perceptions of the impacts already felt and attributed to climate variability, including unpredictable patterns of rainy seasons. Climate variability is associated with decrease in household food supply, unpredictable farming calendar and drying of water sources for irrigation and domestic use. Coffee yields showed a decreasing trend (at the rate of R2 = -0.494) during the years 1990-2016. This was contrary to bananas, which indicated an increasing trend (R2 = 0.036) of production during the same period. Communities were responding to impacts of climate variability in various ways, including intercropping, planting early maturing and drought-resistant varieties and gravity canal irrigation. Projected climate changes showed that the future was uncertain for farmers depending on rain-fed farming. Therefore, further research on viable options would help farmers adapt to current and future climatic stresses. Options may include intensified irrigation of crops and conservation farming which have the potential to increase banana and coffee production, thereby improving productivity and food security for communities.

Assessment of socio-ecological resilience of agropastoralists to climate change and variability impacts in Bariadi district, Tanzania.

In developing countries like Tanzania, societal vulnerability to the risks of climate change and variability (CC&V) exacerbate ongoing social and economic challenges because people's livelihoods are largely dependent on resources that are sensitive to climate change such as agriculture. Although studies show that most communities in Africa have low adaptive capacity, for centuries people have developed traditional adaptation strategies to face climate inter-annual variability and extreme events based on their long-term experiences. Various studies show how CC&V have impacted the socio-economic and and environmental conditions among the pastoral and agropastoral societies. However, little emphasis has been given to studying the community's resilience status to CC&V impacts. Much of the focus has been placed on studying the community vulnerability and impacts of CC&V as well as coping and adaptation strategies to avert CC&V impacts. Little is known on how the interaction between society and nature can enhance or reduce community resilience under changing climate. The study was conducted in two villages, Ibulyu and Mahaha, in Bariadi District. The main objective of the study was to deepen our understanding of the socio-ecological resilience of agropastoral communities to CC&V impacts in a semi-arid district. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research designs. Quantitative data were captured through a household survey whereas qualitative data was collected through focus group discussion, key informant interviews and field observation. The results show that CC&V have negatively affected the farming system in the study area. The ecological setting of the area has significantly been altered to the extent that it cannot provide the required ecosystem services and products that are important for human and livestock sustainance. Changes in the production system have negatively affected community resilience and increased their vulnerability.

Community livelihoods and ecosystem integrity in makere forest reserve, western Tanzania.

Wealth creation and poverty alleviation processes in the forest-bounded areas entail the use of such forests to a greater extent. Studies elsewhere show that there is often a tendency to use such forests until they are depleted before technology comes in to improve livelihoods. In this chapter, we examine community livelihoods in relation to ecosystem integrity for communities surrounding the Makere Forest Reserve, particularly socio-economic characteristics of communities, their links to forest utilization and implications for ecosystem integrity. We used mixed methods to collect data: (i) a household questionnaire; (ii) focus group discussions; (iii) key informant interviews; and (iv) a literature review, backed up with satellite imagery. Quantitative and qualitative data collected were subjected to statistical and non-statistical tests, respectively, with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software for quantitative data analysis. Livelihood activities in the area include shifting cultivation, livestock keeping, firewood fetching, charcoal making, harvesting timber and illegal logging. The motive for such forest exploitation is both for meeting household needs as well as for wealth accumulation. Forest users take part in such activities regardless of the distance they have to travel from their villages to come to the forest areas. We found education is an integral part of wealth status, but had nothing to do in terms of improving livelihood activities for ecosystem integrity. The absence of livelihood diversification of farm-related activities penetrates into weak forest governance strategies resulting in proliferation of deforestation and forest degradation. To maintain forest integrity, integrated approaches in forest management and alternative livelihood activities are needed such as beekeeping, fishing and modernized livestock keeping. These activities have the potential to increase household food and income and alleviate poverty levels without compromising ecosystem integrity.

The role of ecosystem services in enhancing climate change resilience of local communities: the case of Ngarambe-Tapika Wildlife Management Area, Rufiji district, Tanzania.

This study examined the role of ecosystem services in enhancing climate change resilience of local communities in Ngarambe-Tapika Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The study aimed to identify forms of ecosystem services that can be gained from conservation of a WMA in relation to climate change adaptation. The design for this study adopted both a quantitative and a qualitative research approach. The study was undertaken in Ngarambe-Tapika WMA located between latitude 39° S and 39°30' S and between longitude 12°30' E and 13° E. It is located alongside the north-eastern border of the Selous Game Reserve. The area is also the home of local people whose lifestyles and livelihoods are intricately tied to the biological diversity and the functioning of this natural system. Purposive sampling was employed in selecting respondents for the household questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. This study found that income obtained from Ngarambe-Tapika ecosystems by the communities were invested in material welfare and livelihoods that enhance resilience to climate change, primarily social services (54.9%) such as construction of houses, dispensaries and rehabilitation of the primary schools, and some of the money was spent on electricity provision for the community and energy for light and water pumps. Other benefits included employment (16.5%), protection from dangerous and problematic wildlife (14.3%) and petty business (14.3%). Generally, in Ngarambe-Tapika WMA there is a need to emphasize conservation awareness and extension programmes which advocate sustainable utilization of wildlife resources, and adopt an integrated approach of climate-smart agriculture to address the challenges related to food insecurity and climate change and variability. The latter would enable increased agricultural productivity to support equitable increases in farm incomes, improve food security and build resilience of agricultural and food security systems to adapt to climate change and variability.

A comparative cost-benefit analysis of mobile and sedentary pastoral production systems in selected villages in Northern Tanzania.

Despite a growing body of evidence that highlights the economic, social and environmental benefits of mobile pastoralism, few governments are ready to tolerate mobility and many policy makers promote knowingly or inadvertently the policies of sedentarization. This production system seems not to be clearly understood by many and has been characterized as backward, environmentally destructive and economically unsustainable; and the view is that it should be replaced with more sedentary forms of livestock production or other beneficial land uses. The overriding question is whether sedentary livestock keeping is more productive and utilizes fewer resources and less space than the mobile pastoral system. This study carried out a comparative cost-benefit analysis of the two production systems in selected villages of Kiteto and Karatu districts. The aim was to come up with credible data to test this hypothesis. Two alternatives were compared in terms of their net present value (NPV) to test a null hypothesis. The alternative with an NPV greater than zero or higher than its alternative was accepted to be more viable compared with the one with an NPV less than zero or less than its alternative. Whenever the NPV of the sedentary production system in the analysis was shown to be greater than zero and/or greater than the NPV of the mobile pastoral production system the null hypothesis was accepted and vice versa. The study was conducted in Makame village of Kiteto District and Dofa village of Karatu District. Makame village represents a mobile pastoral production system while Dofa village represents a sedentary production system. The study employed a quantitative approach using a household survey in the two villages. The comparative cost-benefit analysis was carried out using monetary values derived from the livestock unit statistical approach. The findings have revealed that the average cost of maintaining a mobile pastoral and sedentary production systems are TSh90,096,333 and TSh112,295,200, respectively. The cost-benefit ratios are 1:0.5 for a mobile pastoral production system and 1:0.25 for the sedentary one.

Weather forecasting and communication in the upper Great Ruaha catchment area.

Effective weather forecast dissemination depends on how effective dissemination channels are in informing decision making for improved management of water resources and livelihood activities, which depend on water resources in catchment areas. In this chapter, the effectiveness of the channels for weather forecast dissemination is assessed in terms of magnitude of awareness creation and versatility to end users. Our findings show that both traditional and conventional channels of weather forecasting and communication can be used to create awareness to end users in various parts of the country. For local communities, traditional weather forecasting and communicating were contingent on indigenous knowledge acquired through interaction with the local environment. Such information was accessed through indicators or signs that entail plant phenology, astronomical and meteorological events as well as mammals' behaviour. Conventional forecasting is communicated via modern communication technologies including radio, television, the Internet and posted letters. Communication of traditional weather forecasting is mainly through oral traditions. Results from our respondents revealed that 40% received weather forecasts through traditional channels, 11% through modern channels and 49% through modern and traditional channels. The majority of respondents said that weather forecasts from modern sources were not reliable to inform the decision-making process when compared with traditional sources. The study recommends synchronizing modern and traditional channels for effective weather forecast delivery.

Cassava as an adaptation crop to climate variability and change in coastal areas of Tanzania: a case of the Mkuranga district.

This study was carried out in two villages, Kizapala and Kazole, of the Mkuranga District, in the Coast Region of Tanzania. The objective of the study was to establish the role of cassava as an adaptation crop to the changing climate and household food security. Primary data were obtained using household questionnaires and different participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques which included focus group discussions (FGDs), key informants and expert meetings. Secondary data were collected through a literature review, whereas temperature and rainfall data from 1984 to 2014 was obtained from the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA). In each village, a sample size of 10% of all households was interviewed. Findings showed that 96% of respondents from Kazole village and 90% from Kizapala linked climate change with major climatic extreme events such as prolonged droughts and occasional abnormal floods. Analysis of temperature data for the last 30 years (1984-2014) revealed that temperature had significantly risen by a correlation coefficient of R2 = 0.4936 for maximum and R2 = 0.777 for minimum temperature. The field survey results closely correlated with findings from the analysis of TMA rainfall and temperature data. Findings revealed a decline in crop production which resulted in food shortages and livelihood insecurity in the study villages. The respondents in both villages consider cassava as a crop that is least affected by climate and environmental extremes, thus serves to ensure food availability and security in their households. As a result, growing cassava should be considered as an adaptation strategy to climate change and variability now and in the future. Improving cassava production, processing, marketing and value chain infrastructures is, therefore, crucial for enhancing sustainable adaptation in the district.