Knowledge, Trust, and Resilience: Factors Shaping Climate Adaptation in Zanzibar’s Agricultural Sector
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajec.v4i3.5300Keywords:
Adaptation, Agricultural Resilience, Climate Change, Climate-Smart Agriculture, Logistic Regression, Smallholder Farmers, ZanzibarAbstract
Communities that depend on agriculture are seriously threatened by climate change, especially smallholder farmers in low-income countries like Zanzibar. This study examines how farmers in Unguja Island’s Central District view climate variability and change, what influences their views, and how Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) methods are being adopted. Data were gathered from 396 households in five villages using a mixed-methods approach that included key informant interviews, focus groups, and structured surveys. The majority of farmers reported higher temperatures, less consistent and variable rainfall, and shorter growing seasons, according to statistical analyses using logistic regression and descriptive methods. These factors all contributed to decreased crop yields and increased food insecurity. Education level, farming experience, access to extension services, climate information, and participation in CSA training all had a significant impact on how people perceived climate change. Adoption of CSA practices is still uneven despite widespread awareness, with high adoption of pest management and irrigation techniques but low engagement in crop diversification and planting calendar adjustments. These findings underscore the urgent need for evidence-based, locally-based policies that improve access to climate information, strengthen institutional support, and encourage inclusive CSA strategies to increase the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers in Zanzibar and similar contexts.
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