Vulnerability and adaptation to climate variability for communities in semi arid environments of Monduli district, Tanzania

This study examined the local communities’ perceptions on vulnerability to climate variability and adaptation strategies in two villages of Naitolia and Naiti of Monduli District. Primary and secondary data were collected using structured questionnaires, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussion, field observations and documentary reviews. Quantitative data were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Microsoft Excel. Findings of this study show that local agro-pastoralists of both villages have experienced extreme changes in the intensity of climatic variability. More results shows that agro-pastoralists were becoming vulnerable to drought and water shortage since then the growing seasons became more unpredictable. Furthermore, the findings indicate that, engagement in small business enabled women, to obtain farm inputs and family food as a coping mechanism to climate variability. Women still face adaptation challenges like hunger, fetching water from long distance, lack of credit access, and inequality in decision making. In coping with climate variability, men performed some off-farm activities like tour guiding in wildlife, and watchmen in towns. But when the drought situation worsened they sold some of their animals so as to obtain income to rescue families. Apart from those opportunities for coping strategies, men face challenges on risk of being attacked with wild animals when migrating with their cattle, lack of social groups and undercurrent of developments. The study concludes that; there is a need to integrate local and scientific adaptation practices and involving all relative stakeholders to enhance adaptation strategies of climatic variability in semi-arid areas.