Responses of Local Government Authorities to Climate Change Impacts in Agro-pastoral Communities: The Case of Bahi District, Tanzania

Abstract

 Climate change remains one of the most critical development challenges of the twenty-first century, with agro-pastoral communities in Tanzania experiencing disproportionate impacts due high dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods. This study examined LGA responses to climate change impacts on agro pastoral livelihoods in Bahi District, focusing on the effectiveness of adaptation measures and the constraints affecting implementation. A mixed-methods design was employed, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. Two villages were randomly selected, and a sample of 78 households was drawn from a population of 385 using Yamane’s (1967) formula. Stratified random sampling targeted households engaged in both crop and livestock production, while purposive sampling guided the selection of participants for key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Four gender-disaggregated FGD groups (8–12 participants each); and interviews with district officials, extension staff, village leaders, and experienced farmers provided rich qualitative insights. The quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires, and analysed descriptively using IBM SPSS (V20) and Excel, while qualitative data were examined through content analysis in NVivo. The findings show that despite having implemented several adaptive measures, LGAs face persistent limitations, particularly inadequate technical data, shortages of skilled personnel, and insufficient financial resources: all of which constrain effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of climate initiatives. The study recommends long-term institutional capacity-building, increased integration of gender-responsive approaches within climate governance frameworks, and enhanced extension service delivery to bolster resilience and adaptive capacity among agro-pastoral households.