Climate Change and Agriculture in Babati : Awareness Strategies Constrains

Abstract: Climate change caused by green house gas emissions, mainly carbon dioxide, is today’s most debated environmental issue. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, with the legally binding Kyoto protocol, is the emission regulatory framework. Tanzania has ratified both the conventions supporting carbon reductions. Tanzania has a very varied climate with two rainfall regimes dominating the country, bimodal and unimodal. Scientific literature predicts a 2,2-4°C average increase in temperature for Tanzania, all studies also predict a higher increase in the cooler period and lower in the warm period. Rainfall predictions are less certain but in general a 10 % average increase is expected but the distribution uneven, both between rain periods and geographically. Tanzanian reports estimate a 5-45 % increase in rainfall in bimodal regions and a 5-15 % decrease in unimodal regions. The distribution of increase in bimodal regions will be uneven, with an increase in the long rain period and a decrease in the short rain period. Agriculture is indisputably the most important source of income in Tanzania standing for 80% of employment and 50% of GNP. Climate change will therefore inevitably affect the economy and livelihood of people. Developing countries are also more vulnerable due to lower adaptation capacity. Effects on Tanzania are predicted to be both positive and negative. Maize production, the major staple, is predicted an average 33% decline while cash crops like coffee and cotton are predicted to increase. To be able to adapt there first has to be a perception of need to adapt, adaption strategies then have to be developed and barriers worked through. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the level of awareness, strategies and barriers existing for adaption to climate change on national, regional and local level, Tanzania nationally and Babati regionally and locally. The research questions are; How do people perceive climate change? What are the strategies for adapting to climate change? What are the barriers for adaption to climate change? At national level policy framework and strategies were used to answer the research questions. At regional and local level a field study was conducted in Babati to answer the research questions at these levels. The study showed that Tanzania nationally has declared their conviction in climate change and state that the issue has to be addressed. Agriculture is identified as one of the most vulnerable areas however climate change is not mainstreamed into agricultural and environmental policy framework. In Babati district no policy was found on climate change and official perception varied. Concerns were related to timing and amount of rainfall, the results were the same for farmers. Global climate change was also known for both studied groups and existed as a parallel truth with the local reason for changes. A number of adaption strategies are also identified nationally, both used and potential, where small scale irrigation is the primary adaptive step. Switching to draught resistant crops is also prioritized in the North eastern region. In Babati adaption strategies were promoted, even though there was not a general policy or perception, by officials to switch to short-term crops and planting of trees. Switching cops was also the most commonly used strategy by farmers along with traditional diversification. Nationally a large number of barriers are also identified including, lack of funding, poverty, HIV, lack of infrastructure and analytic capacity. Officials in Babati also mentioned the lack of money, deforestation, lack of clouds, education, irrigation and seeds. The farmers in Babati were not so clear about what they needed to adapt, irrigation, livestock backup, diversification and switching crops were mentioned, not differing much from used strategies.