Investigating Women’s Realization on Understanding the Impact of Climate Variability in Socioeconomic Performance in Zanzibar, Tanzania: A Case of Jambiani Village

Abstract

The study employed the triangulation approach to investigate the impact of climate variability on selected socioeconomic indicators, particularly food production, health and education, and how much climate variability and its impact on those indicators was realized and understood among the women living in Jambiani community in Zanzibar. The study used the explanatory, sequential mixed method to collect, datasets related to Jambiani communities (i.e. from the women in Kibigija village), other climate data acquired from Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA), Ministries of Agriculture and Health and Southern District in Zanzibar. The results obtained from the analysis of both anecdotal (interview, questionnaire among others) data shows that climate variability was imminent in Jambiani communities between 2010 and 2015 and had a negative impact on food production, health and education. Further results revealed that women working in informal sectors are more vulnerable to climate impacts than women working in formal sectors due to less knowledge and techniques to mitigate/cope with climate variability impacts. Conclusively the study has shown that climate variability affects more women with less awareness of what is happening and how to cope with it, thus the study calls for new research work and increasing the awareness on the impacts of climate on human basic needs.