Browsing by Author "Myeya, Helena E"

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    Challenges encountered by smallholder farmers in adapting to adverse effects of climate change in semi-arid areas of Central Tanzania
    (University of Warsaw, 2018-11) Myeya, Helena E
    This article investigates adaptation measures and challenges facing smallholder farmers in adapting to climate change and variability effects in semiarid areas of Dodoma region, central Tanzania. Mixed method research approach under cross-sectional survey design was employed in data collection. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis have been used in analyzing and presenting the findings. The study results indicate that smallholder farmers have observed variations in rainfall and temperature trends that were linked to reduced cereal crop yields. The study noted that the farmers respond to reduced cereal crop yields by implementing various adaptive strategies. They include growing drought tolerant crop varieties, practicing intercropping, shifting the planting to earlier/later dates, increase farm sizes and out-migration. It was further found in this study that smallholder farmers encountered a number of challenges when they take adaptation measures to overcome declining crop yields. The challenges include inadequate capital, elevated agricultural equipment and input prices and absence of soft loans arrangements. Other challenges include low price for agricultural produce, poor weather information and agricultural extension services all of which rendered negative effects on cereal crop production and household food security. The impact of climate change and variability are conclusively evident in this study while effective smallholder farmer’s adaptation mechanisms are limited. To ensure household food security, purposeful institutional intervention plans and optimal support on extension services and provision of credit facilities are needed on viable adaptation strategies against impacts of climate change and variability in semiarid areas of Tanzania.
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    Drivers, Livelihood Dynamics and Effects of Out-migration in Ileje District, Tanzania
    (University of Warsaw, 2020-11) Myeya, Helena E
    This paper attempts to examine the drivers, livelihood dynamics and impacts of migration in Ileje district, Tanzania. A total of 249 heads of households were involved in this study. The study used both quantita tive and qualitative techniques in collecting and analysing data where household questionnaire, in-depth interviews, field observations, focus group discussions and documentary review were used as data gathering techniques. Descriptive statistics and content analysis have been used as data analysis methods. Findings from this study indicate that, pover ty is a major cause of out-migration though, land shortage, poor soils and unfavourable climatic conditions also act as push factors. Moreover, results revealed that through out-migration, migrants have improved their livelihoods and that of their relatives. The study concludes that out-migration is highly attributed by poverty levels in Ileje district and through migration people have changed their life to better condition. It is recommended to provide support to the communities of migrants in Drivers, Livelihood Dynamics and Effects of Out-migration in their home place in order to improve their livelihoods strategies hence reduce poverty and out-migration as well.
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    Indigenous and Scientific Evidence on Climate Change Effects on Cereal Crops Production in Semi-arid Areas of Central Tanzania
    (Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2021-11) Myeya, Helena E
    Changes in temperature and rainfall have been reported at both local and global level with negative influence on crop yields. This article attempts to investigate the effects of climate change on cereal crops in semi-arid areas of Dodoma region, Tanzania. To achieve the research objectives, mixed method research approach under cross-sectional design was used. A total of 366 heads of households and 36 key informants were involved in this study. The study further used archival data on rainfall, temperature and crop yields of maize, sorghum and bulrush millet for the past 27 years (1984 to 2011). Simple linear trend analysis and Mann-Kendall test were used to establish and test for rainfall, temperature and crop yield trends. Linear regression analysis was applied in establishing the relationship between climate variables and crop yields. Findings from this study reveal increased temperature and reduced rainfall and crop yields as perceived by smallholder farmers and verified by archival data. Results for both minimum and maximum temperature indicate significant increased trends (p=0.000, p=0.000) respectively. Conversely, non-significant decreasing trends for rainfall were noted for Bahi, Mpwapwa and Dodoma stations (p=0.505, p=0.911, p=0.474) respectively. The findings on correlation analysis indicate both positive and negative influence of temperature and rainfall on cereal crop yields. The study concludes that, climate change has impacted cereal crop yields in the study area calling for implementation of more viable adaptation strategies in order to reduce the adverse effects of the changing climate. The study recommends on the use of more drought tolerant crop varieties of cereal seeds that can suit the changing climate
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    Migrations in the contemporary world: A case of Africa
    (Bernardinum, 2020-11) Myeya, Helena E; Maciej, Zabek
    Nowadays, migrations have become one of the greatest phenomena of strategic importance due to their cultural, social and economic impact nearly all over the world. It also results from the mass nature of this phenomenon, i.e. the fact that more and more people are changing their place of residence in search of work, better life or asylum. History of the African continent, even in the pre-colonial times, was largely shaped by mass migrations. In East Africa, for centuries the mobility of people was dominated by migrations of pastoral and agricultural Nilotic people and agricultural Bantu people. Moreover, the slave trade had also a great impact on the forced displacement of people, especially in the 19th century. However, over the last three decades, migration patterns and trends in the whole Africa have significantly changed as a result of global flows of labour force, market and socio-political transformations. Climate perturbations, natural disasters, wars, political and economic crises have even further affected African countries in a destabilising way, generating also a significant number of refugees or generally speaking forced migrants within and outside the continent.
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    Opportunities and Challenges of Little Ruaha River to the Local Community’s Livelihoods in Iringa Municipal, Tanzania
    (Institute of Sustainable Development, Environmental & Scientific Research (ISDESR), 2021-01) Myeya, Helena E
    This paper examines opportunities and challenges of Little Ruaha River on people’s livelihoods in Iringa Municipal, Tanzania. A total of 105 respondents from Ruaha ward and 10 key informants were involved in this study. The study employed quantitative and qualitative approaches in collecting and analyzing data. Questionnaire survey, interviews, field observations and documentary review were used as data collection techniques. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The study findings reveal that Little Ruaha River is very potential to the adjacent community as it supports small scale agriculture, brick making, small scale industries, domestic uses and fishing. Though the river is very potential, full utilization of water resource is hindered by river fluctuation, improper human activities, water use restrictions, floods, existence of dangerous animals and lack of capital. The study concludes that, the river is very potential to the local community, thus recommending sustainable exploitation of water resource for improved livelihood and resource conservation.
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    Population Dynamics and Its Implication on Development in Iringa Municipality, Tanzania
    (University of Dar es salaam, 2020-12) Myeya, Helena E
    This study investigates the implications of population dynamics on development in Iringa Municipality Tanzania. A total of 209 respondents were involved in this study. The study used both quantitative and qualitative techniques in collecting and analyzing data where household surveys, in-depth interviews, field observations, Focus Group Discussions and documentary review were used as data gathering techniques. Descriptive statistics and content analysis have been used in analyzing and presenting the collected data. The study findings reveal that Iringa Municipality is experiencing an increase in population has been triggered by in migration though increased birth rates and reduced mortality rates cannot be neglected. The study further revealed that population growth in the Municipality has positively resulted to increased income levels, market expansion, improvement of social services, increased savings and investments, increased skilled workforce as well as increased urbanization. However, negatively, population growth has triggered high commodity prices, increased rental bills, the spread of diseases, a high number of street children and increase of delinquency behaviours. The study concludes that there is an increase in population associated with in-migration in Iringa Municipality which has brought both positive and negative effects on economic development. It is recommended to use the existing opportunity of population growth for economic development meanwhile, finding out measures which are associated with negative effects of population growth to achieve sustainable development.
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    Recent Temperature and Rainfall Characteristics in Dodoma Region, Central Tanzania (1961 – 2013)
    (University of Ghana, 2021-05) Myeya, Helena E
    This paper presents the recent temperature and rainfall characteristics in Dodoma region, central Tanzania. The study used archival temperature and rainfall data for the past 53 years (1961 – 2013). Simple linear trend analysis and Mann-Kendall test were used to establish and test for rainfall and temperature trends through Microsoft Excel (2010) and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 20). Results for both minimum and maximum temperature indicate a significant increased trend (p=0.000, p=0.001) respectively at 0.05 significance level. Conversely, non-significant decreasing and increasing rainfall trends were noted for Bahi, Mpwapwa and Dodoma (p=0.532, p=0.473, p=0.629) respectively, at 0.05 significance level. Results further indicate that rainfall variability in the study area isinfluenced by local, regional and global variations. From the results, it is noted that temperature and rainfall have both significant and insignificant changes. It is recommended that the observed increased temperature and declined rainfall requires more adaptation strategies than usual to reduce adverse effects as climate variability is expected to further increase in the near future.
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    Vulnerability and Responses of Smallholder Farmers to Climate Change Effects in Semiarid Areas of Bahi and Kongwa Districts, Tanzania
    (University of Dar salaam, 2021-11) Myeya, Helena E
    This study examined the vulnerability and responses of smallholder farmers to climate change effects in Semiarid Areas of Bahi and Kongwa Districts. A total of 366 household heads were involved in this study. The study employed questionnaire, interviews and documentary review as data collection techniques. Archival data for temperature, rainfall and crop yields were collected for trend analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data, content analysis was employed to analyse qualitative data. Simple linear trend analysis and Mann Kendall were used to establish trends. The findings indicate that smallholder farmers in the study area have noted reduced rainfall, increased temperature and reduced production as indicators of climate change. Results from archival data indicate insignificant decline of rainfall, significant increase of temperature and insignificant decline of crop yields at 5% significance level. As a response to these changes, smallholder farmers reported to use improved crop varieties, change planting dates, use intercropping, out-migrating and change land use practices. Several challenges were reported to hinder effective adaptation including inadequate capital, limited soft loans, limited weather information and deficient extension services. It is concluded that the climate is changing in the study area calling for strengthening farmers’ adaptive capacity.