Dissertation (MA Development Studies)This study assessed the impact of climate variability and change on livelihood of the Barbaig community in Hanang District, Manyara region, Tanzania. Three research objectives guided the study. Firstly, to examine the Barbaig pastoral community knowledge and experience on climate variability and change. Secondly, to establish the effects of climate variability and change on the livelihood of pastoral community in the study area. Thirdly, to identify strategies used to adopt and mitigate climate variability and change effects for the pastoral communities. One hundred and ten (110) respondents were subjected to semi-structured interviews. In addition, field observation, focus group discussion and documentary review were used to collect all the required data. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 16.0 and the use of description was employed. Results indicated that 76% and 72% of the respondents interviewed from Gisambalang and Dirma respectively were aware of the climate change and variability. More than a half of them agreed on experiencing prolonged drought (94% and 92% of respondents from Gisambalang and Dirma respectively followed by High temperature; 78-90% of Gisambalang and Dirma pastoralists and heavy rainfall which account for 63% of respondents from Gisambalang and 56% from Dirma. The major source of information of Barbaig community on climate variability and change is Parents which accounts for 83% of the respondents. Village elders (69%) and news papers and magazines (41%) were also mentioned as the second and the third sources of information on climate variability and change respectively. also Local Government leaders (24%) and extension officers 21% were identified as among the sources of information on the incidences of climate variability and change. The study revealed that, climate variability and change has many impacts on Barbaig community. Several things were mentioned as impacts of climate variability and change: 72% of response indicated that it accelerates Poverty among the Barbaig community, drying of sources of water (86%) and Drought which accounts for 91%. On the Barbaig livelihood aspect, climate variability and change has many impact as 94% of response indicate the food insecurity resulting from prolonged drought and shortage of rainfall, decline of income (88%), Loss of assets like grazing lands and livestock which accounts for 89% of total respondents. The findings of the study show that pastoral community adopted different strategies to cope with climate variability and change. The mostly mentioned strategies adopted are diversifying income generation activities, selling of livestock due to shortage of pasture and water, rotational grazing, changing the type of animals to keep and others decide to migrate to other areas. Several recommendations were made including understanding recognizing and investigating on adoptive capacity of pastoralist to climate change and building on what pastoralists are already doing to adapt the situation. Empower pastoralist communities (capacity building) in addressing the issues of climate change both in formulating climate change policies and in integrating climate change into development priorities and implementation at the national level, including the planning of climate change adoption strategies.