Dryland Community Resilience To Climate Change: A Case Of Grapevine Farmers In Chamwino District And Dodoma Municipality

ABSTRACT

This study which aimed at assessing the resilience of dryland grapevine farmers to climate change was conducted in Chamwino District and Dodoma Municipality. The specific objectives were to identify the factors influencing grapevine production in the context of climate change, to assess the level of awareness of grapevine farmers on climate change, to assess the grapevine farmers‟ adaptation strategies and their adaptive capacity to climate change, and to develop the grapevine farmers‟ resilience framework to climate change. A cross-sectional research design encompassing both purposive and proportionate random sampling was adopted for this study. The study involved 248 grapevine farmers as primary grapevine stakeholders and 64 other secondary grapevine stakeholders. Primary data were collected through questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and the research‟s observations, while secondary data were collected through documents review. Qualitative data collected from Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant interviews were analyzed through content analysis. Quantitative data collected through questionnaires were processed and analyzed by having the data edited, coded, summarized, and entered into the computer. The quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics were used to obtain frequencies and percentages for the coded responses. The results were presented through tables, figures, and graphs. The findings showed that climate variables (minimum and maximum temperature, annual mean rainfall, and wind speed) in the study area had been fluctuating over the past 20 years. Many grapevine farmers were aware of climate change on grapevine production. Climate change affected grapevine production through outbreak of diseases and pests, drought, low rainfall, and grapevine fruit damage by birds. The grapevine farmers adopted different adaptation strategies to combat the impacts of climate change. These included the application of pesticides, the use of scaring methods to threaten birds, irrigation systems, timed pruning, application of manure and diversification to other farm or off-farm activities. The grapevine farmers‟ resilience framework to climate change was finally proposed with an intention to strengthen grapevine farmers to successfully adopt and apply the adaptation strategies. It has been recommended that the government and other grapevine stakeholders should extend their efforts more to help the grapevine farmers to improve and apply the existing climate change adaptation strategies. They should especially help grapevine farmers to access different opportunities, climate information sources, land and security of tenure, water sources, financial resources, agricultural inputs, agricultural extension services and improved transport and irrigation infrastructure. The government, particularly the local government authorities (Chamwino District and Dodoma Municipality), should also sensitize grapevine farmers to establish and strengthen the farmer based organizations. The central government and other grapevine stakeholders should further help in improving the coordination between crop research centers, extension, and farmers. It is further recommended that the proposed resilience framework with its key steps (farmer based organizations, asset base, institutional coordination, and informed decision-making) which is specific to semi-arid areas be tested.