Effects of climate change coping strategies by hunter-gatherers on development projects in Tanzania: a case study of hadzabe community, Mang’ola village, Karatu district in Arusha region

The major objective of this study was to investigate the effects of climate change coping strategies by hunter-gatherers on development projects, using Hadzabe community at Mang’ola village, Karatu District in Arusha Region as a case study. The study sought to: find out the nature and character of livelihood activities of Hadzabe in the adversely impact of climate change, asses strategies used by Hadzabe in coping with effects of climate change, and identify possible coping strategies in link with development projects that address climate change. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study was conducted in Mang’ola village at Baray ward in four (4) divisions from which a sample of 80 respondents was drawn. Both simple and purposive random sampling methods were employed to obtain 80 respondents. The data collection tools were questionnaires, interviews, observation, and documentary review. The findings from this study revealed that hunter-gatherers community experience effects of climate change. As a way of mitigation climate change effects, these communities developed their local coping strategies, which are remittance; change of activities; migration; borrowing and dependence on food stored. The local coping strategies are not been able to build strong resilience to Hadzabe community in the current challenges of adverse effects of climate change. Therefore, on the basis of these findings, the study concluded that there is the need of improving the local climate change coping strategies but integrating with scientific coping strategies through development projects though resisted in the past, to build strong resilience to hunter-gatherers community in the current adverse effects of climate change, which have severe impact on their livelihood.