The Innovative Adaptation Structures of Agropastoral Communities to the Impact of Climate Change and Variability in Semi-Arid of Tanzania: A Case of Kiteto and Kilindi Districts

Abstract

The study made an investigation on agro-pastoralists ' resilience through innovativeadaptation structures to the impacts of climate change and variability in semi-aridareas of Kiteto and Kilindi districts. Data were collected using household survey whichsampled 384 households, Focus Group Discussion, In-depth interviews and field visitswere also used to collect more detailed data. The results indicated that the majority ofthe respondents indicated the decline in grazing lands/pastures and water resourcesleading to the decrease in the number of livestock and crop productivity by about91.1%)   being the major   effect of climate change and variability in the study areas. Allthese have resulted to food insecurity for about six years consecutively. Therefore, toincrease resilience, agro-pastoralists have developed innovative adaptation strategieswhich varied from one village to another, however, most of them were similar inabating food insecurity and climate change vulnerability. Overall, the main innovatedadaptation strategies in order of importance were seasonal mobility with theirlivestock, construction of traditional water points locally known as Njoro, the use oftraditional by-laws for pastures conservation/rotational use, traditional Maasaiconstructed water reservoirs (Mboutu), reducing stock number by selling and womentransporting water by donkeys from traditional wells/Njoro and all of which haveincreased their livelihoods in dry lands.  keywords: Agro-pastoralism, climate change, climate variability,vulnerability, adaptation, Njoro, Mboutu