Abstract
ABSTRACTIntroduction: The consequences of climate change have been considerably high to smallholders in most of Sub-Saharan Africa. These impacts have been more enormous to crop production and other attached livelihoods. However, the comprehensive assessment of these impacts has suffered numerous challenges because crop productivity is also susceptible to other factors involved in the production process. This study aimed to understand how crop yields are affected by climate change in the semiarid zone of Tanzania. The findings would establish a thorough literature within smallholder adaptation in the area. Furthermore, they will intensify strategies to cope with reduced yields attributed by climate-change impacts.Outcomes: There has been a dramatic decrease in rainfall (R2 = 0.21) and increase in temperature (R2 = 0.30). In addition, we found that rainfall and temperature variability had positive (R2 ~ 0.5) and negative (R2 ~ 0.3) correlations with crop yields, respectively.Discussion: The decline in yields at both local and national levels elevated the magnitude of food shortage and poverty. The increasing climate impacts necessitate undertakings of various studies to plan, design, recommend, and implement various useful adaptation measures, especially in the vulnerable communities.Conclusion: To limit climate effects, we need to increase investments in adaptation and mitigation measures.
Highlights
The consequences of climate change have been considerably high to smallholders in most of Sub-Saharan Africa
KEYWORDS Climate variability; crop yields; environmental sustainability; vulnerability; Tanzania. In this era of climate change, it is worthwhile to assess the effects of climate variability on agriculture and environment in order to design proper adaptation and mitigation measures that improve resilience (IPCC 2014; Serdeczny et al 2017)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has confirmed that there is substantial evidence that the mean and extremes of climate variables have been changing in recent decades, and that rising atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations could cause the trends of climate variables to intensify in the coming decades (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2014)
Summary
The consequences of climate change have been considerably high to smallholders in most of Sub-Saharan Africa. We found that rainfall and temperature variability had positive (R2 ~ 0.5) and negative (R2 ~ 0.3) correlations with crop yields, respectively In this era of climate change, it is worthwhile to assess the effects of climate variability on agriculture and environment in order to design proper adaptation and mitigation measures that improve resilience (IPCC 2014; Serdeczny et al 2017). Challinor et al (2007) warned of the increased vulnerability of the rain-fed agriculture due to the changing climate Under such situation, Lobell et al (2008) realized the importance of studying and proposing ways of reducing the vulnerability among the rural communities in most developing countries, because their livelihoods depend on rain-fed agriculture. This vulnerability has implications for agricultural production and the ecosystems services as farmers may degrade the environmental resources when trying to cope with the associated challenge (Nyong, Francis, and Osman-Elasha 2007; Speranza et al 2009; Rao et al 2011; Muller and Shackleton 2014)
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