Perceptions, vulnerability and coping strategies to climate change impacts by mangroves dependent communities in Bagamoyo and Unguja

Abstract

The study was conducted in Bagamoyo and Unguja to assess the perceptions, vulnerability and coping strategies to climate change impacts by mangroves dependent communities. The specific objectives of the study were to examine and compare the perceptions of the locals to climate change, to compare meteorological data with community perceptions, to analyse the vulnerability of the mangroves dependent communities to climate change and to examine the coping strategies of mangroves dependent communities to climate change impacts. Six study villages from the two sites were purposively sampled while systematic random procedure was used to select 207 households for questionnaire interview. Results showed 67% of respondents strongly agreed rainfall has declined while 51% strongly agreed air temperature has increased over the last two decades. Analysis of 30 years climate data showed rainfall has declined and temperature has increased by 1.23°C and 0.9°C in Bagamoyo and Unguja respectively. The results indicated local communities' perceptions to concur with climatic data analysis. Results indicated 89% of households were vulnerable to the changing climate and variability, the highest level being in Bagamoyo and most experienced hazard was drought. More than 30% of respondents explained to do nothing to cope with climate change hazards. Few respondents explained to change the crops, opt for non-farming jobs, planting trees, buying water, shift the location of settlement and use mosquito nets to cope and adapt with climate change hazards. The study recommends documentation of the current coping and adaptation strategies practiced by the locals against climate change hazards. Also to combine the local coping methods with new innovations to enhance adaptations to climate change hazards in the study sites.