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Although climate change has posed challenges among the farming communities in different places, it is yet not sufficiently known how peri-urban farmers of Temeke District mitigate and adapt to this phenomenon. This study was set to contribute in addressing this gap. Specifically , the study: i) assessed awareness of peri-urban farmers and the effects of climate change on peri-urban farming; ii) examined mitigation and adaptation measures of peri-urban farmers as a response to climate change; iii) compared gendered determinants of mitigation and adaptation measures; and iv) assessed policy implementation challenges on mitigation and adaptation measures. Data collection involved administering household questionnaire among 240 heads of the households, focus group discussions and key informants’ interviews. Quantitative data from the household surveys was analysed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences while qualitative data was subjected to content analysis. The results revealed that, peri-urban farmers were aware of climate change. Farmers were able to identify indicators like decreased rainy cycles, rising temperatures and rainfall fluctuations. Similarly, farmers were able to describe the main drivers of climate change, notably, cutting of trees for fuel wood and charcoal. Also, farmers mentioned the effects of climate change which included shortened in the growing seasons, perceived decrease in crop yields and decreased vegetation cover. These triggered the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures including cover cropping, alternative energy sources, and agroforestry. Others included drought resistant crop cultivation, economic diversification and mixed farming. The level of mitigating climate change was high as 60.8% exhibited the highest level. The level of mitigation across three age groups (20 – 34, 35 – 59 and 60+) was statistically significantly differently at p< 0.05). The level of adaptation measures was also high as 72.5% exhibited the highest level. The level of adaptation across three age groups was almost similar (p> 0.05). Gender wise, the findings showed that the level mitigation and adaptation measures between men and women was similar (p>0.05). With regard to determinants of mitigation measures, there were no statistically significantly differences in household’s income between men and women at p=0.051. For adaptation measures, geographical locations were statistically significantly differently across gender at p=0.031, while tradition and customs were statistically significantly differently at p=0.043. Furthermore, the study revealed success of the National Climate Change Strategy such as identification of interventions among the local communities. The challenges of the Strategy were associated with low implementation of the priotised interventions among peri-urban farmers. The study concludes that, climate change impacts necessitated implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures across gender so as to sustain farming activities. Nonetheless, the study exhibited differences in the gendered determinants in adaptation measures which indicate the need to upscale gender concern on interventions. The Government should assist local communities by building capacity to intervene in climate change. Also, more studies should be carried out to determine factors for climate change interventions, examination of policy implementation in other agricultural settings and the production changes due to interventions. The study contributes to the empirical information on climate change interventions of peri-urban farmers. The study has a theoretical application of Disaster Crunch Model. Also, the study addresses climate change which is also a core concern of both global and national policy frameworks such as UNFCCC, NCCS, SDGs and Tanzania Development Vision 2015. |
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