Abstract:
The impact of climate change is more serious in semi-arid and ‘drought-prone’ areas where
there are significant risks from climate change including shortage of water, rise in mean temperature
and changes in precipitation. However, there is unclear information on how women adapt climate
changes in semi-arid areas. The study on challenges of women’s adaptation to the impacts of climate
change was conducted in Same District, Kilimanjaro Region. The study employed documentary
review as secondary source; questionnaires and interviews to obtain primary information from
100 respondents. The simple random technique was employed to obtain 10% of the women from
Mwembe and Bangalala villages. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze data. Results showed
that 75% of women engage in small scale business as their adaptation strategy to climate change.
However, efforts to adapt effects of climate change was obstructed by inadequate production tools,
lack of inputs, lack of capital, lack of formal markets, lack of knowledge in improved production.
Thus, the Government of Tanzania through the ministry responsible for women affairs and natural
resources conservation should strengthen women’s ability to adapt climate change.
