IMPLICATIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE INDUCED COPING AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES ON SEAWEED PRODUCTION IN TANZANIA: A CASE OF JAMBIANI VILLAGE, UNGUJA ISLAND

Amelia S. Buriyo,Mohamed M.S Rijja

doi:10.29121/granthaalayah.v7.i12.2019.300

Amelia S. Buriyo, Mohamed M.S Rijja

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v7.i12.2019.300

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Abstract

Climate change remains to be the biggest challenge of 21st century threatening to negatively impacts seaweed production levels in Tanzania. Seaweed farmers have coped and adapted to the impacts of the changes for several years but the implication of their efforts measured by the level of seaweed production is still not documented. The study investigated implications of various coping and adaptation strategies employed by farmers on seaweed production. A cross sectional study was adopted to collection information’s September-November, 2016. Primary data collection tools includes Questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion from 100 seaweed farmers and analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency and variation, and liner regression model at 5% confidence level. The results indicated that, seaweed farmers continued to employ documented and have recently developed new undocumented coping and adaptation strategies, documented for the first time by this study which include, setting seaweed plot in partially drilled area and tying of big sized seedling as well as planting plenty of seaweeds during cooler months. Nevertheless, production level declined from 80 to 130 sacks per harvest before notable environmental changes to 20 sacks per harvest in a situation of weather and climate changes. It was shown that only planting plenty of seaweeds during cooler months slightly improved seaweed production and others, none at all. The study recommends initiation of ceased extension services to offer technical education and services to seaweed farmers on the best ways to integrate available coping and adaptation strategies on seaweed production as well as developing the best alternative coping and adaptation strategies.

Highlights

Population statistics on coastal natural resources suggests that, approximately 30 million people live in the coastal region of the western part of the Indian Ocean, with eight million in Tanzania coastal regions (Obura et al 2000) including major islands of Zanzibar and Mafia
Disassociations of male from seaweed farming is due to low profit, left opportunity for female to dominate the sector since this group has limited options for income generation
Low production levels than would have been expected during cooler months when seaweed farmers plant plenty of seaweed in a single plot can be attributed to effects of shading and competition as the result of higher stocking density as reported by Msuya (2013)

Summary

Introduction

Seaweed farming industry remains to be second most dominant sector of economy in Zanzibar after tourism industry (Msuya, 2012). Population statistics on coastal natural resources suggests that, approximately 30 million people live in the coastal region of the western part of the Indian Ocean, with eight million in Tanzania coastal regions (Obura et al 2000) including major islands of Zanzibar and Mafia. Zanzibar’s economic base depends on coastal and marine ecosystems distributed along and within the Indian Ocean, that offer enormous number of livelihood opportunities, as well as social and economic benefits through ecosystem services (Mustelin et al, 2009). Coastal resources based socio-economic activities of fishing, crop farming, seaweed farming and tourism provide over 30% of Zanzibar’s Growth Domestic Product (GDP) (Mustelin et al, 2009, 2010). Three percent of Zanzibar’s population participate in seaweed cultivation whose product contributes 20% to Zanzibar’s export earnings due to annual exportation of more than 30,000 tonnes of dried seaweed (Msuya, 2012)

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