Climatic change, Pastoral communities, Esilalei ward, Monduli distric, Tanzania

This study was conducted at Esilalei ward which is one of southern parts of the Monduli district, aiming at assessing the impacts of climate change on pasture resources among the pastoral communities, its risks and adaptive methods. A study design has been used to analyse climate change impact on pasture resources: risks and adaption methods among pastoral communities. Questionnaires, interviews and documentary reviews were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Data were analyzed through SPSS version 20 and Microsoft Excel and presented into graphs, charts/figures, and tables. The findings shows that among other impact of drought on pasture resources includes poor livestock productions, poor reproduction of livestock and effects of livestock health as the results of low rainfall with 98.1%, it have led to the death of livestock by 88.9% (about 5,000 died out of 11,000 cattle) due to excessive drought. It reveal that poor houses/hurts, existence of hunger and famine, lack of water, it risks the health of elders and children affected by malnutrition; poverty, livestock were (mainly cattle) migrated, few number of youths in the villages, children stayed home instead of being in schools. All these resulted into risks such as lack of income, food and security of the household in Esilalei ward. As the result of this study migration was found as the major coping strategy (99.1%) where they move their animals to the area with pasture and water resources, also selling livestock (93.5%) for buying animal’s fodder to feed them as well as their families’ food. The implication of these changes or impact is that in the future pastoral communities will be unable to have livestock, their traditional pastoralism institution will disappear, and poverty growth, food and human security will be in danger because their vulnerability is at highest level to cope with. The study have shown that, the annual mean rainfall amounts have been decreasing while annual mean temperature have been increasing over decades in Monduli. This research has recommends to provide Education based on climate variability, its impacts, adequate coping and adaptation strategies should be delivered to livestock communities to combat/reduce the vulnerability, impacts and risks of climate change (droughts).