by Timoth Mmbaga from Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT)
Description
Among the effects of climate change in Tanzania include:
- Long drought.
- Increase in crop and livestock diseases.
- Soil erosion.
- Disappearance of water sources.
- Frequent wildfire and deforestation.
Impact of the climate change in Tanzania include:
- Low production and productivity in agriculture.
- Food shortage and high food prices.
- Increased temperature.
- Frequent floods.
- Frequent conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.
The best practices implemented to adapt to and mitigate the climate mentioned above change effects and impacts include:
- System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in rice production. This technic uses a small amount of water.
- Conservation farming.
- Use of drought and disease-resistant varieties.
- Water source protection.
- Awareness campaigns and knowledge sharing.
Results
The use of SRI, Conservation farming, and disease and drought-resistant varieties have increased the yield and benefited about 150,000 farmers in ACT Project areas. SRI is now widely adopted in many parts of the country and has increased productivity. Conservation farming (minimum tillage) has increased production in semi-arid regions, especially maize and beans, to enhance food security and resilience in many communities.
Climate smartness*
This case depicts an integrated approach to manage agricultural systems, by implementing diverse climate-smart practices as a whole. The interventions mentioned are capable to not only minimize yield gaps and avoid crop failure due to climate change impacts. These also play an important role in the sustainable management of water, soil and biodiversity, focusing on preserve the different elements and interactions that translate into the health and stability of the country’s agroecosystems. It is worth to highlight that any efforts focused on expanding ¨awareness campaigns and knowledge sharing¨ are essential to transform conventional production model, based on monoculture systems, highly dependent on external inputs and with a significant environmental footprint. SRI, Agroforestry, minimum tillage etc., encompass potential benefits for climate change mitigation, on the one hand related to GHG emissions reduction —from the soil and crop management activities e.g., tillage, pest and diseases management, fertilization—, and on the other to carbon sequestration when woody species are integrated and soil carbon content increased over time.
*This is done in the framework of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) approach. Climate-smartness in agriculture means understanding impacts of climate change and variability along with the agricultural activity, which includes the planning of what crop to plant, when to plant, what variety to plant and what type of management practices are needed to reduce the impact on the environment (e.g. emissions reduction), maintain or increase productivity (e.g. yields) while increasing resilience and improving livelihoods.