Coping Strategies toward Food Security: A Case of Morogoro Region

Abstract

This paper discusses the adequacy of off-farm coping strategies in enhancing food security for rural communities and support climate change adaptation. Using data from 2010 household cross-sectional survey in Morogoro, principle components and wealth index were performed to ascertain farmers’ characteristics and ability of the off-farm activities to meet food requirement for each individual household for the whole agricultural season. The findings revealed however, that, the ability of coping strategies from off-farming activities was limited in meeting food requirements throughout the year, hence rendering food insecurity to majority of farmers in the rural areas. Climate variability coping strategies are vital in increasing small holder farmers’ resilience to climate change and weather variability. With appropriate support from governments and development partners, farmers are encouraged to diversify to more viable farming and non-farming strategies so as to increase the chances of non-farm activities in decreasing the problem of food inadequacy.

Keywords: Food security, Off-farm, Climate Variability, Coping strategies, Tanzania