Browsing by Author "Nyambo, Briggite"

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    Dissemination of agricultural weather forecasts under weather and climate variability: a case of the smallholder farmers in Moshi rural District, Tanzania
    (International Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, Premier Publishers, 2017-06) Chengula, Fasco; Nyambo, Briggite
    Since its formation in 1978, the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) has continued to provide agricultural weather forecasts among other climate products. However, the uptake and use of these weather forecasts by target end users under changing environment is uncertain. In this paper, production and dissemination pathways of agricultural weather forecasts in Tanzania with a focus to Moshi Rural District are presented. A combination of participatory research approaches and household surveys were used to explore perceptions of local communities on dissemination, application and reliability of agricultural weather forecasts. While the study shows that 96% of farmers depend on climate and weather information for on-farm decision making, only 40% of farming communities rely on TMA weather forecasts. The rest of farmers rely on indigenous knowledge-based weather forecasts. The TMA seasonal weather forecasts lack local/area specific focus. The forecasts relates to area-wide patterns, amounts, distribution, onset and offset of rains, its associated impacts and advisories on possible actions to be taken by users in risk areas. TMA forecasts are unpopular because of too high degree of local unreliability in terms of spatial and temporal distribution and use of technical language. Challenges of packaging and dissemination of seasonal agricultural weather forecasts to smallholder farmers by TMA were identified, and some suggestion on the way forward made
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    The significance of indigenous weather forecast knowledge and practices under weather variability and climate change: a case study of smallholder farmers on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro
    (International Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, Premier Publishers, 2016-06) Chengula, Fasco; Nyambo, Briggite
    his paper discusses the implication of indigenous knowledge-based weather forecasts (IK-BFs) as a tool for reducing risks associated with weather variability and climate change among smallholder farmers on the south eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Moshi Rural District of Tanzania. Participatory research approaches and household surveys were used to identify and document past and existing IK-BF practices. Local communities in the study transect use traditional experiences and knowledge to predict impending weather conditions by observing a combination of locally available indicators: plant phenology (40.80%), bird behaviour (21.33%), atmospheric changes (10.40%), insects’ behaviour (7.20%), environmental changes on Kilimanjaro, Pare and Ugweno mountains (4.80%), astronomical indicators (4.8%), animal behaviour (4.00%), water related indicators (3.73%) and traditional calendars (2.93%). The study established that 60% of farmers use and trust IK-BFs over modern science-based forecasts (SCFs). Although about 86.3% of respondents observed some correlation between IK-BFs and SCFs, and 93.6% supported integration of the two sets of information, the nature and extent of their correlation is not yet established. We none the less recommend that IK-BFs be taken into relevant national policies and development frameworks to facilitate agro-ecological conservation for use and delivery of effective weather and climate services to farming communities