Factors in Smallholder Farmers’ Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts in the Uluguru Mountains, Morogoro, Tanzania

Abstract

This study assessed factors in smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change impacts in the Uluguru Mountains in the Morogoro Region, Tanzania. To this end, the study first determined the smallholder farmers’ awareness and perception of climate change and identified adaptation options preferred by the farmers. A combination of methods, including focus group discussions, key informants interviews, participant observations, and household surveys, were used for data collection. The results indicate that smallholder farmers had a poor understanding of climate change issues, but their knowledge was enhanced by a project that was implemented collaboratively by Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Professionals for Fair Development (GRET), a French non-governmental organization (NGO). The adaptation strategies preferred by smallholder farmers included terracing, planting fruit trees, the rehabilitation of micro-irrigation canals, and fish farming. However, a noticeable disparity in preference between men and women was observed. The results further revealed that smallholder farmers were vulnerable to climate change and variation due to their limited knowledge of climate change risks, low level of literacy, limited access to climate information, and absence of farmer-based organizations to facilitate better access to credit and market services. The study concludes that crucial factors for smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change in the Uluguru Mountains are access to information and resources, road and market infrastructure, and smallholder farmers’ organization.