The Innovative Adaptation Structures of Agropastoral Communities to the Impact of Climate Change and Variability in Semi-Arid of Tanzania: A Case of Kiteto and Kilindi Districts

Abstract

The study made an investigation on agro-pastoralists’ resilience through innovative adaptation structures to the impacts of climate change and variability in semi-arid areas of Kiteto and Kilindi districts. Data were collected using household survey which sampled 384 households, Focus Group Discussion, In-depth interviews and field visits were also used to collect more detailed data. The results indicated that the majority of the respondents indicated the decline in grazing lands/pastures and water resources leading to the decrease in the number of livestock and crop productivity by about 91.1%) being the major effect of climate change and variability in the study areas. All these have resulted to food insecurity for about six years consecutively. Therefore, to increase resilience, agro-pastoralists have developed innovative adaptation strategies which varied from one village to another, however, most of them were similar in abating food insecurity and climate change vulnerability. Overall, the main innovated adaptation strategies in order of importance were seasonal mobility with their livestock, construction of traditional water points locally known as Njoro, the use of traditional by-laws for pastures conservation/rotational use, traditional Maasai constructed water reservoirs (Mboutu), reducing stock number by selling and women transporting water by donkeys from traditional wells/Njoro and all of which have increased their livelihoods in dry lands.