Climate Change Impacts And Adaptation Methods Practiced By Small Scale Farmers: A Case Of Mkuranga District, Coast Region

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to investigate the climate change impacts and adaptation methods practiced by small scale farmers in Mkuranga district. This study was conducted in three villages of Kimanzichana ward February 2016 .It was guided by three objectives; to investigate the awareness of small scale farmers on climate change, to investigate the impacts of climate change to the small scale farmers and to investigate the strategies taken by small scale farmers to minimize the impact of climate change. The methods used in primary data collection were questionnaire survey, key informant interview and observation. Annual mean temperature and rainfall were the Secondary data collected from Tanzania Meteorological Agency(TMA).The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.The Descriptive statistics such as Frequency counts, and percentages were computed and results presented using frequency distributed tables. Chi-square test and linear regression was also used. Excel was used to construct figures such as pie chart and histograms. The findings show that the small scale farmers in the area of study are aware about climate change. The major impact of climate change revealed on crop production is unreliable rainfall while in livestock keeping is the increased diseases and pests. The major strategy in adaptation to the impacts of climate change in crop production is focusing on nonfarm activities and practising mixed cropping. The major adaptation strategy in livestock keeping is practising mixed farming and focusing on nonfarm activities. The main challenge in adapting to the impacts of climate change is lack of enough capital. The study recommends that there is a need to conduct special programmes to raise the climate change awareness among the small scale farmers