Examining the Role of Lower-Level Local Government Leaders in Mitigating Climate Change Impacts on Smallholder Farmers

Abstract

The agricultural sector remains the main source of livelihoods for rural communities in Tanzania, but faces the challenge of changing climate. This study aimed at assessing the roles played with local government leaders towards smallholder farmers escaping from climate change effects. Specifically, the study examined the influence of Climate change information Adoptive strategies, Updated farming knowledge from local government leaders on smallholders’ ability to escape from climate change effects. The study employed a cross-sectional research design on 200 smallholder farmers. Data collection methods included survey, key informants’ interview (KIIs) and focus group discussions. The study collected and analysed both qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources. Quantitative data were analysed using a multiple regression model while the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. findings revealed that local government leaders are not effectively supporting smallholders farmers escaping from climate change effects since the result under this study reveal that local government leaders are not providing supporting knowledge to smallholder farmers on climate change and strategies towards its adoptions, it can be concluded that local government leaders has a slight influence on supporting smallholders farmers to escape from climate change effects in the study area since observed that local leaders are not providing adequate climate and its adoption strategies. The study concludes that local government leaders have less knowledge on climate issues hence negatively influencing smallholder farmers to escape from climate change effects due to the absence of local government employees development program particularly to wards and village executive officers who are directly closely to local natives by increasing the ability of the smallholders’ farmers to have good wellbeing performance. The study recommends to the Moshi District Council particularly to local government leaders and ministry of agricultural to establish capacity building program to local government employees working at lower levels and local government leaders have to include climate change information agenda in their assembly to ensure farmers are updated with climate change issues.