Role of civil society organizations in building coastal communities' adaptive capacity to the impacts of climate change and variability; a case of Bagamoyo District, Tanzania
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Date
2020
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
Impacts of climate change are felt differently by societies with varied social and economic conditions. Building adaptive capacity of these societies is increasingly crucial. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in building coastal communities' adaptive capacity to the impacts of climate change and variability. Specifically, it examined the strategies used by these CSOs in building adaptive capacity; the responses of coastal communities to CSO's adaptive capacity strategies; and the outcomes of CSO interventions on coastal communities' livelihoods. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data in two villages of Bagamoyo district namely Dunda and Makurunge. The study involved a sample of three hundred and thirty-six (336) local people as major respondents who were randomly selected for questionnaire survey. A total of thirty-six (36) key informant interviews and four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Observations were conducted in different occasions during the visits to the study area. Thematic analysis technique was used to analyse qualitative data, and SPSS version 20 was used to analyse quantitative data. The findings of this study reveal that the key strategies CSOs use in building adaptive capacity to coastal communities to the impacts of climate change and variability include skills development and capacity building in climate resilience; helping village administrative officials in preparation and execution of projects on environmental conservation; protecting natural resources and creating demonstration farms; facilitating stakeholders participation in discussing environmental matters and assessing the vulnerability of peoples' livelihood systems for climate resilience. Moreover, the study revealed that coastal communities have responded to such CSOs' efforts by adopting new farming techniques; seed varieties; water harvesting technology; and by acquiring knowledge about future possible changes. These adopted climate change adaptation strategies have impacted local communities' livelihoods through saving time for fetching water and improved health; increasing household income and maintaining healthy functioning of coastal and marine ecosystem. It is concluded that CSOs have played a formidable role to build adaptive capacity of coastal communities to climate change impacts. Thus, there is a need for CSOs in collaboration with the government to co-design strategies that can further improve local peoples' livelihood systems by alleviating poverty and unemployment to enhance resilience and boost adaptation to climate change and variability
Description
Available in print form, Eat Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library,(THS EAF QC903.2T34.L826)
Keywords
Climate changes, civil society, community, coasts, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania
Citation
Luanda, W. R.(2020) Role of civil society organizations in building coastal communities' adaptive capacity to the impacts of climate change and variability; a case of Bagamoyo District, Tanzania. Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.