Enhancing the adaptive capacity of semi-arid agropastoral communities through Local Adaptation Plans in Dodoma

Community members from Msangambuya and Muungano villages in Mpwapwa district presenting a list of implementable and non-implementable adaptation actions
  • Country: Tanzania
  • Organisation: FORUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE (FORUMCC)
  • Support area: Adapting to the impacts of climate change
  • IKI funding: 184,085 euros
  • Project start: 01/07/2023
  • Project end: 30/06/2025
  • Website: https://www.forumcc.or.tz/index.php

In the Dodoma region in the interior of Tanzania, climate change has led to altered rainfall patterns, increased drought, flooding, and exacerbated erosion, which has affected crop cultivation and livestock keeping. Local problems are aggravated by limited knowledge of the effects of climate change, especially for women, youth, and local government officials. This IKI Small Grants project addresses these problems by working at the community level. It builds up knowledge for improved adaptation capacity. By conducting policy advice on the local level, it aims to integrate scientific information into local plans and budgets to achieve equitable and climate resilient rural communities. The project also provides practical learning to small-holder farmers on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) techniques and practices. These focus on low-cost water harvesting techniques and green entrepreneurship.

INITIAL SITUATION

The Dodoma region is reliant on groundwater supply abstracted from boreholes. Increased unreliable rains and changing rain patterns affect crop cultivation and livestock keeping. This results in increased drought, flooding, exacerbated erosion, and limited groundwater recharge. Community members who would need increased resources for coping with climate change effects are not aware of the budgetary planning process because of lack of transparency and skills to engage.

TARGET GROUP

The project’s target group is manyfold, it includes all levels of local stakeholders, such as local government authorities in Chamwino and Mpwapwa Districts, Ministry of Finance and Planning, the Vice President’s Office-Division of Environment as well as local community members, women, and youth groups. In total the project benefits 1050 direct beneficiaries, reaching out to 165 smallholder farmers. 40 per cent of these are women and 20 per cent young people from both villages.

APPROACH AND ACTIVITIES

The project addresses the need for local action to address climate change adaptation. It has four interlinked components designed to address climate adaptation in Mpwapwa and Chamwino Districts. It firstly provides practical learning to small-holder farmers on climate-smart agriculture (CSA) techniques. It expands such knowledge with trainings on low-cost water harvesting techniques, green entrepreneurship, and other practices to improve agricultural ecosystems.

Furthermore, the project organises biannual workshops to engage local government authorities in Mpwapwa and Chamwino District councils on issues related to accountability, CSA, climate justice, gender equality as well as the links between sustainable ecosystem management and food security. The workshops are used to eventually integrate the measures into local development plans and budgets.

Moreover, the project aligns its activities to national climate change response plans and strategies.  This is achieved through conducting a dialogue at national level. This 7th National Climate Change Symposium and Expo, conducted at a national level brings together actors from national to local levels and will be conducted in the region within which this project is implemented. At this national conference, a simplified version of CSA, guidelines and other related documents are presented, which are further spread trough FORUMCC digital platforms social media and YouTube. This is complemented with public outreach, youth flash mobs and awareness campaigns.

LATEST PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND IMPACTS

  • Identified climate vulnerability conditions in all target communities
  • Climate change sensitisation on village-district levels completed
  • A total of 43 per cent women engaged in identifying adaptation options
  • Actors and allies to support integration, resource allocation and implementation of LAPAs identified
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Community members filling-in the pre test Evaluation forms before the commencement of the 1st Sensitization session about climate change concepts, vulnerability and adaptation initiatiatives
Community members filling-in the pre test Evaluation forms before the commencement of the 1st Sensitization session about climate change concepts, vulnerability and adaptation initiatiatives
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One of the Women-small holder farmers sharing experience on the climate change variability and change in her village (in Chamwino district) during the 1st session of sensitization session, where an experience sharing session with elders was used to prompt the climate change dynamics and timeline in terms of risks, intensity & frequency of extremes
One of the Women-small holder farmers sharing experience on the climate change variability and change in her village during the 1st session of sensitization session.
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FORUMCC Vice Chairperson and Mpwapwa District Environment Office at the same time agreeing on the role of environmental conservation/degradation in efforts to respond to climate change in the livestock and agriculture sectors. This agreement from experience was presented in front of the Guest of Honor heading to Official launching of the project during the project inception in Chamwino district early October 2023
FORUMCC Vice Chairperson and Mpwapwa District Environment Office at the same time agreeing on the role of environmental conservation/degradation in efforts to respond to climate change in the livestock and agriculture sectors
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A group photo of the FORUMCC Leadership and Management, the two districts (Mpwapwa & Chamwino) heads of departments of Land, water, Livestock, Environment and Agriculture, members with the Guest of honor immediately after an official launching of the project held early October in Chamwino district.
A group photo of the FORUMCC Leadership and Management, the two districts (Mpwapwa & Chamwino) heads of departments members with the Guest of honor after an official launching of the project
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Community members during the sensitization session
Community members during the sensitization session
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Project beneficiaries and community members in 1 of the group works to map out climate change risks during the 1st sensitization session
Project beneficiaries and community members in 1 of the group works to map out climate change risks during the 1st sensitization session
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In the first step on developing Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs), community members are first sensitized and then provide a chance to identify climate change threats and implementable adaptation actions. This photo shows community members from Msangambuya and Muungano villages in Mpwapwa district presenting a list of implementable and non-implementable adaptation actions during the sensitization session took place in the two villages
Community members from Msangambuya and Muungano villages in Mpwapwa district presenting a list of implementable and non-implementable adaptation actions
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A group photo between FORUMCC program staff, village, ward and district officials and community members (smallholder farmers, livestock keepers, women and youth representatives) from Msangambuya & Muungano villages-Mpwapwa district during the 2nd & 3rd sessions of the sensitization
A group photo between FORUMCC program staff, village, ward and district officials and community members from Msangambuya & Muungano villages-Mpwapw
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A group photo between FORUMCC program staff, village, ward and district officials and community members (smallholder farmers, livestock keepers, women and youth representatives) from Zajilwa and Magungu villages-Chamwino district during the 2nd & 3rd sessions of the sensitization sessions held in October 2023
A group photo between FORUMCC program staff, village, ward and district officials and community members from Zajilwa and Magungu villages-Chamwino district
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Ward and village leaders, Extension officers, Ward Councilors and district officials in a group work discussing the role they are entitled to play during the implementation of the climate resilience building to agro-pastoral communities in Chamwino & Mpwapwa districts. This is was conducted during the 1st sensitization session held early October 2023 in Chamwino-Dodoma Region Central Tanzania
Ward and village leaders, Extension officers, Ward Councilors and district officials in a group work discussing the role they are entitled to play during the implementation of the climate resilience building to agro-pastoral communities in Chamwino & Mpwapwa districts
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In the first step on developing Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs), community members are first sensitized and then provide a chance to identify climate change threats and implementable adaptation actions. This photo shows community members from Magungu and Zajilwa villages in Chamwino district presenting a list of implementable and non-implementable adaptation actions during the sensitization session took place in the two villages
Community members from Magungu and Zajilwa villages in Chamwino district presenting a list of implementable and non-implementable adaptation actions
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Project beneficiaries (LGA officials from villages, Ward & District) community members (farmers, livestock keepers, youth and women representatives) in 1 of the group works to map out climate change risks during the 1st sensitization session held along with the project inception activities early October 2023 in Chamwino district, Dodoma region Central Tanzania
Project beneficiaries and community members in 1 of the group works to map out climate change risks during the 1st sensitization session held along with the project inception activities early October 2023 in Chamwino district, Dodoma region Central Tanzania
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One of the Extension Officers from Mpwapwa district filling the prese-test evaluation forms before the commencement of sensitization session about climate change, vulnerability and Responses
One of the Extension Officers from Mpwapwa district filling the prese-test evaluation forms before the commencement of sensitization session about climate change, vulnerability and Responses

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

IKI Small Grants supports FORUMCC in their organisational capacity development through:

  • Fundraising and proposal writing
  • Creating simplified and tailored climate change information for public awareness and evidence-based advocacy

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

FORUMCC operates as the national Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) network on Climate Change. It is a non-for-profit, member-based – of over 80 diverse organisations across Tanzania committed to work on climate change issues in Tanzania and beyond. It started its operations in 2008 and incorporated in 2013 as a limited company by guarantee – having no share capital – under the Companies Act of 2002. Currently, it is operating under a Non-Governmental Organization Act No. 24 of 2022 as amended in 2005 and 2019. FORUMCC provides the link between the local mobilisation and experiences and the national to global advocacy.