Indigenous Knowledge Use in Seasonal Weather Forecasting in Tanzania: The Case of Semi-Arid Central Tanzania

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorElia, Emmanuel F.
dc.contributor.authorMutula, Stephen
dc.contributor.authorStilwell, Christine
dc.date.accessioned2016-09-22T14:57:40Z
dc.date.available2016-09-22T14:57:40Z
dc.date.issued2014-01-01
dc.description.abstractThis paper is based on part of the findings of a PhD study that was carried out to determine how farmers have used indigenous knowledge (IK) to adapt to climate change and variability in the semiarid region of central Tanzania. Two villages, Maluga and Chibelela, were used as the case studies. The study applied Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovations theory and model. It adopted a predominantly qualitative approach and a post-positivist paradigm. The study population was made up of farmers, agricultural extension officers and the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa project manager. The principal data collection methods were interviews and focus group discussions. The qualitative data collected were subjected to content analysis whereas quantitative data were analysed with the help of SPSS to generate descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the farmers in the two villages under study perceive conventional information on weather as unreliable and untimely. Consequently, the farmers turned to IK to predict weather patterns and make the necessary farming adjustments. It was established that uncertainty about seasonal weather forecasts is one of the most critical factors which forces farmers to continue using IK. Farmers’ knowledge of birds, insects, plants, animals, wind direction and astronomical indicators is used to predict weather patterns. The recommendations include the provision of timely and accurate weather forecast information to the farmers to enhance their coping and adaptation strategies under varying climate conditions; and a clear policy framework on the dissemination of information related to weather patterns in rural Tanzania.en_US
dc.identifier.citationElia, E.F., Mutula, S. and Stilwell, C., 2014. Indigenous Knowledge use in seasonal weather forecasting in Tanzania: the case of semi-arid central Tanzania. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 80(1), pp.18-27.en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.7553/80-1-180
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/4252
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSabinet Onlineen_US
dc.subjectSeasonal weather forecastingen_US
dc.subjectClimate variabilityen_US
dc.subjectIndigenous knowledgeen_US
dc.subjectClimate changeen_US
dc.subjectSemi-arid regionsen_US
dc.subjectTanzaniaen_US
dc.titleIndigenous Knowledge Use in Seasonal Weather Forecasting in Tanzania: The Case of Semi-Arid Central Tanzaniaen_US
dc.typeJournal Article, Peer Revieweden_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Indigenous Knowledge use in seasonal weather.pdf
Size:
1.06 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Full text
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Information Studies