Women Farmers’ Characteristics and Perception towards Climate Change and Variability in Iringa District, Tanzania

Abstract

Perception is widely recognized to be a precondition for adaptation to climate change and variability. This study was conducted in the semi-arid part of Iringa District in Tanzania to establish association between women farmers’ characteristics and perception towards climate change and variability. A cross-sectional research design and multistage random sampling technique was used in selecting 385 women farmers. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software and content analysis respectively. Findings show that majority of women farmers in study area have perceived high perception on climate change and variability as indicated by increase in number of seasons without enough rainfall, poor distribution of rainfall during rain season, rainfall peak season ending earlier than normal and increases of temperature in the study area. The study also observed significant difference (P< 0.05) in perception between women farmers with less numbers of years in farming and those with more. Nevertheless, the study found existence of no significant difference (P>0.05) in perception between women farmers with different characteristics such as marital status, education level attained, household size, being household head and land size cultivated. The study concluded that differences in women farmers’ characteristics in the study area did not affect their perception toward climate change and variability. Therefore, the study recommends that, high level in perception on CC & V by women farmers in surveyed area should be taken as the stepping stone by the government and other development partners for setting up measures in helping women farmers to adapt to CC & V.

Key words:  Women farmer, perception, climate variability, climate change and adaptation.