Assessment of groundwater use as climate change adaptation strategy. a case study of Mwanga and Moshi district Tanzania

Groundwater use is among climate change options available in many places today due to decrease in rainfall and surface water resources. However, very little is known on its effectiveness for climate change adaptation. This study examined how groundwater is used in adapting to climate change in Mwanga and Moshi rural districts. It employed a number of methodological approaches. Primarily, this study was based on field survey information and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). Interviews with members of various institutions were conducted in Moshi Rural and Mwanga on a preliminary survey and during actual field work. Questionnaire were administered in 125 households which forms the 10% of the households in the study villages while total of 4 key informants were interviewed and 21 people were involved in various FGDs. Random and systematic sampling was used to obtain the 10% of the respondents for household questionnaires and purposefully sampling was used to obtain respondents for focus group discussions and interviews in each study village. This study shows that climate change has led to decreased surface water resources in Mwanga and Moshi rural districts, which puts life in the area at stake by increasing vulnerability to environmental disasters and reduced food production. This has necessitated adaptation strategies which include sustainable use of groundwater to supplement the gap of the decreased surface water resources to increase food production and domestic water supply. Various existing climate change adaptation strategies are notably used by local communities such as irrigation by using groundwater, changing planting seasons among others. The available groundwater is enough and of considerable quality to be used in and to support climate change mechanisms. It can be concluded that, the use of groundwater has thrived to diminish water shortage in the area through increased domestic water supply and sanitation water supply. Groundwater has helped to advocate people’s livelihood from climate change impacts. Therefore, this study recommends that groundwater usage should be incorporated into government plans because of its ability to sustain livelihoods in this changing climate.