Adaptation Strategies To Climate Change Amongst Smallholder Farmers: A Case Of Humid Area Of Ngara District Tanzania

ABSTRACT 

This work is about the Adaptation Strategies to Climate change Amongst the Smallholder Farmers in of Humid Area of Ngara District. The area was selected due to the fact that it is among the most affected areas by the impact of climate change in Tanzania. A sample size of 106 respondents was employed in this study. The primary data were collected through interviews with key informants, questionnaires and field observation. Secondary data were collected through documentary review. The qualitative data were computed to produce frequencies, multiple responses and cross tabulations. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. In this study the theories pertaining to adaptation theory was established to familiarize the reader on the paradigms, frame works and approaches in the field of climate change. The study found that, there were changes in rainfall and temperature patterns which affected the livelihood of smallholder farmers through increase of pest and crop diseases, rainfall variations, increase of wind, increase of drought,and increase of flood and increase of soil infertility. The local farmers had applied measures such as mixed cropping, crops timing calendar, cultivation along the wetlands, planting of resistant crops to drought and use of local manure and mulching. The study found some of the strengths of adaptations in application such as soil conservation, food security and diseases control. Also the study found the weakness such as inadequate capital and low education level. The study recommends that, the smallholder farmers to depart from relying on rain fed- agriculture instead irrigated agriculture. This can be achieved through government support by construction of infrastructure which can crucial for climate change adaptation.