Sokoine University of Agriculture
TaCCIRe Tanzania Climate Change Information RepositoryNot a member yet
510 research outputs found
Sort by
Carbon stock and emission difference by woodland degradation around a REDD+ pilot site in Kilosa, Morogoro Tanzania
No full textMSc-Thesis in Ecosystem Science and ManagementAmong the major issues in the implementation of REDD+ activities is leakage or
displacement resulting from activity shifting associated with the process. This study
aimed at assessing potential leakage in terms of carbon stock and emission difference by
degradation in REDD+ pilot site and areas around REDD+ pilot project in Kilosa. Data
were collected from 84 rectangular plots measuring 20×10m established within the
REDD+ pilot site and around REDD+ pilot sites. The numbers of stumps, stump diameter,
diameter at breast height (DBH) for trees ≥5cm diameter and species local and botanical
names were recorded. The above ground carbon stocks were estimated to be 31.5 tCha-1 in
the REDD+ pilot site and 3 tCha-1 around REDD+ pilot sites. The genera Brachystegia
contributed the highest amount in both sites with 70% of total above ground carbon in
REDD+ pilot site and 55% around REDD+ pilot site. Areas around the REDD+ pilot site
had higher stump density of 70 stumps ha-1 than those in the REDD+ pilot site with 12
stumps ha-1 of which majority were Brachystegia microphylla and Brachystegia boehmii.
The estimated carbon loss was 1.17 tCha-1 (4.29 tCO2e ha-1) in REDD+ pilot site and 1.92
tCha-1 (7.05 tCO2e ha-1) around the REDD+ pilot sites. This is an indication of shifts in
utilization resulting from the implementation of REDD+ activity in Kilosa. Such
anomalies should be addressed before one can judge the success of the REDD+ project in
the areaThe Leakage Project through Climate Change Impact
Effects of field plot size on prediction accuracy of aboveground biomass in airborne laser scanning-assisted inventories in tropical rain forests of Tanzania
No full textAvailable at http://www.cbmjournal.com/content/10/1/10Airborne laser scanning (ALS) has recently emerged as a promising tool to acquire auxiliary information for improving aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation in sample-based forest inventories. Under design-based and model-assisted inferential frameworks, the estimation relies on a model that relates the auxiliary ALS metrics to AGB estimated on ground plots. The size of the field plots has been identified as one source of model uncertainty because of the so-called boundary effects which increases with decreasing plot size. Recent research in tropical forests has aimed to quantify the boundary effects on model prediction accuracy, but evidence of the consequences for the final AGB estimates is lacking. In this study we analyzed the effect of field plot size on model prediction accuracy and its implication when used in a model-assisted inferential framework. The results showed that the prediction accuracy of the model improved as the plot size increased. The adjusted R2 increased from 0.35 to 0.74 while the relative root mean square error decreased from 63.6 to 29.2%. Indicators of boundary effects were identified and confirmed to have significant effects on the model residuals. Variance estimates of model-assisted mean AGB relative to corresponding variance estimates of pure field-based AGB, decreased with increasing plot size in the range from 200 to 3000 m2. The variance ratio of field-based estimates relative to model-assisted variance ranged from 1.7 to 7.7. This study showed that the relative improvement in precision of AGB estimation when increasing field-plot size, was greater for an ALS-assisted inventory compared to that of a pure field-based inventory.Government of Norway through the two projects entitled “Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) in Tanzania” and “Enhancing the Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of forests in Tanzania through the application of advanced remote sensing techniques”
Agroforestry as a resilient strategy to climate change in Mwanga district, Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania
No full textMSc. –Thesis in Management of Natural Resources for Sustainable AgricultureAgroforestry is a climate-smart production system that sustainably diversifies environmental and socio-economic benefits to subsistence farmers, and is therefore considered more resilient than monocropping to increased intensity of extreme weather events. This study was conducted to assess the potential of agroforestry (AF) in buffering smallholder farmers against climate variability and mitigating CO2 emissions through carbon sequestration in Mwanga District, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Research methodologies used included literature review, questionnaire, and ecological survey. A sample of 54 plots with a size ranging from 0.04 Ha to one Ha and 103 households engaged in AF and non-AF were selected randomly from three villages for ecological study which involved an inventory of on farm trees and questionnaire survey for collecting socio-economic data respectively. SPSS computer program was used to analyse socio-economic data and allometric equations were used for estimation aboveground biomass and carbon. The diversity of benefits in AF practices such as food (59.2%), fodder (58.2%), selling livestock (71%), fruits (54.4%), timber (27.2%) and fuelwood (45.7% ) increased farmer`s resilience during environmental extremes and climate variability. AF practitioners were richer than non practitioners with an extra income of TAS 988 042 (USD 618) annually. Furthermore, agroforestry systems (AFs) such as parklands, homegardens and woodlots stored substantial aboveground carbon stock (10.7 to 57.1 Mg C ha-1 with an average of 19.4 Mg C ha-1), and the difference in carbon stock among AFs was statistically significant at p<0.001. Integration of crops and diversity in AFs were among the resilient features which reduced farmer‟s risk from total crop failure. Further increased income as a result of the diversity of products from the AFs enhanced the resilience of AF practitioners. Therefore, vigorous efforts are needed to provide knowledge on the AF products
value-addition innovation, promoting rich carbon land use, understanding and addressing competing claims on natural resources.Local Knowledge Climate Change and Adaptation Project (LKCCAP
The influence of agricultural practice on soil erosion process in central Tanzania
No full textPrint formThe problem of accelerated soil erosion in central Tanzania is chronic and there does not seem to be a straight-forward answer. Prospective solutions to the physical problem are made difficult by the fact that land use alternatives are limited by the socio-economic infrastructure. Associated processes of erosion and disposition remain part-and-parcel of an established 'conservative' social system operating on a relatively unflexible natural physical system. The two systems are not in harmony to maintain a desirable equilibrium. This paper outlines firstly the geomorphic setting of Kondoa, a district in central Tanzania threatened by accelerated soil erosion. The physical characteristics of the area are then related to the occurrence of erosion. A brief review of agricultural development during the colonial period is made in relation to measures taken to accommodate the problem and these are contrasted to current erosion control measures. Finally, suggestions for the future are made. The main emphasis is on establishing harmony among ecological systems.
Kondoa is a district in Dodoma Region covering an area of about 13,200 sq. km. To the east. Kondoa shares a boundary with Kitete district, Arusha region while to the north it shares a boundary with Hanang district, A[usha region. It is bounded by Singida and Dodoma districts to the west and south, respectively.
The district lies within the central rift zone, i.e. the southward extension of central Tanzania's eastern rift and is, therefore, characterized by block faulting topography. The mean altitude of Kondoa Highlands is about 1550 m.a.s.l. (metres above sea level). Kondoa is drained in a greater part by ephemeral rivers and streams and lies within the Bubu river catchment. In addition, there are various internal drainage basins with Lake Haubi in the north-east. Lake Biacha Sese swamp and its basin at the southern tip of Chi vi river being the most conspicuous.
The climate is semi-arid with a mean annual rainfall of between 600-800 mm. The climate permits the growth of dry montane forest, open woodlands and bushed grasslands. Most of the natural vegetation has been cleared for cultivation but has also changed as a result of overgrazing. Consequently, extensive gully erosion has developed dramatically; 29.5 per cent of the total district area is eroded (1,256 sq. km. or 125,599 ha)
Climate change policy inventory and analysis for Tanzania
No full textAlso available online- http://www.cicero.uio.noThis report is an output of the Global Framework for Climate Services Adaptation Programme
in Africa. The goal of the report is to: 1) assess the extent to which climate change concerns have been integrated
or mainstreamed into national policy documents in mainland Tanzania, 2) to consider the role of climate services
in achieving national sectorial policy goals, and 3) identify entry points for the further development of climate
services within the current policy frameworks. Fifteen key policy documents relevant to economic development,
climate change and environment, agriculture and food security, disaster management and risk reduction, and health
planning were analysed. Three major findings emerged from this analysis. First, while climate change is addressed
in a number of the policy documents, the concept of climate services was not. Second, policy documents across all
sectors identified improved early warning systems as a specific objective. This represents a common entry point for
development and delivery of climate services, as well as an opportunity to increase cross-sectorial adaptation
coordination and planning. Third, the analysis highlighted that efforts to manage short- and long-term climate risks
are not well integrated under current policies and legislation in Tanzania. Additionally, we found that the National
Environmental Policy and National Environmental Management Act are the primary policy documents that oversee
climate change-related issues. It will be important to link the development and delivery of climate services with the
established institutional structures for climate change adaptation under these current policies and legislation, to
avoid creating isolated or duplicative institutional arrangements. Based on these findings, several recommendations
are made that can inform climate services development and delivery in Tanzania.The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affair
Climate volatility and poverty vulnerability in Tanzania
No full textClimate volatility could change in the future, with important implications for agricultural productivity. For Tanzania, where food production and prices are sensitive to climate, changes in climate volatility could have severe implications for poverty. This study uses climate model projections, statistical crop models, and general equilibrium economic simulations to determine how the vulnerability of Tanzania’s population to impoverishment by climate variability could change between the late 20th Century and the early 21st Century. Under current climate volatility, there is potential for a range of possible poverty outcomes, although in the most extreme of circumstances, poverty could increase by as many as 650,000 people due to an extreme interannual decline in grain yield. However, scenarios of future climate from multiple climate models indicate no consensus on future changes in temperature or rainfall volatility, so that either an increase or decrease is plausible. Scenarios with the largest increases in climate volatility are projected to render Tanzanians increasingly vulnerable to poverty through impacts on staple grains production in agriculture, with as many as 90,000 additional people entering poverty on average. Under the scenario where precipitation volatility decreases, poverty vulnerability decreases, highlighting the possibility of climate changes that oppose the ensemble mean, leading to poverty impacts of opposite sign. The results suggest that evaluating potential changes in volatility and not just the mean climate state may be important for analyzing the poverty implications of climate change.This research was funded by the World Bank’s Trust Fund for Environmentally and Socially SustainableDevelopment. The authors are grateful to Tasneem Mirza for research assistance and to Hans Binswanger, Madhur Gautam, William Martin and an anonymous referee for helpful comments. We also acknowledge the modeling
groups in the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI) and the WCRP’s Working Group on Coupled Modeling (WGCM) for their roles in making available the WCRP CMIP3 multi-model dataset. Support of this dataset is provided by the Office of Science, US Department of Energy. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are solely those of the authors
Yield gap analysis for Tanzania – the impacts of climate, management, and socio-economic impacts on maize yields
No full textAvailable at www.sciencedirect.comFood security will be the biggest challenge for Tanzania in the next decades. Besides, Tanzania has a multifarious ecosystem,
which is endangered through not adapted agronomic practices. Current innovation strategies focus mostly either on the issue of
food security or on environmental damages, but rarely on both issues. However, both issues are very crucial. With crop models,
a wide range of agricultural practices can be investigated to show possibilities to optimize the application of these practices.
Model assessments allow to separate the effects of agronomic and climatic conditions. The process-based model SWIM (Soil
and Water Integrated Model) can compute the impacts of agronomic practices and thus develop strategies to decrease the yield
gap between actual (farm) yields (Ya) and potential yields (Yp). The Yp are limited through the nutrient (Yn) and water supply
and reduced by pests, diseases, and weeds. Furthermore, socio-economic impacts are also relevant (knowledge, tradition, or
culture). These impacts can be captured by statistical crop models. Due to regional-adapted, integrated agronomic practices, Ya
can be increased and thus the yield gap between Ya and Yp can be decreased. However, enhanced yields due to sufficient
nutrient supply are more sensitive on climate (higher yield volatility). In particular, for innovative farmers increase the
production risk of climate change impacts. These endangered adaptation from farmers and therefore both food security and the
environment. However, not all influences between Ya and Yn can be explained by agronomic (fertilizer application, harvest
time, tillage, and plant protection) and climatic conditions. Additionally, the Ya are affected by a broad range of nonbiophysical,
socio economic constraints. To decrease the yield gap on regional level, agricultural practices and knowledge are
required, which consider regional-specific the issue of food security and environmental protection in a balanced ratio
Perception of farmers on cassava as a potential crop for climate change adaptation in Kigoma region, Tanzania
No full textMSc.ThesisPerceptions guides decision making and eventually determines the actions to be made by farmers on climate change adaptation. This study analyzed how farmers perceive cassava as climate change crop, determinants of farmer’s perception and also estimated the share of cassava to total household income in Kigoma Region. A multistage random sampling procedure was used to select a total of 140 household heads for analysis. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and key informants interview. Descriptive statistics, Likert scale items and Chi-square tests were employed to analyze data. The Heckman’s two step model was used to identify the determinants of perceptions of the sampled households. The results show that 72.7% to 98.3% of the household farmers perceived cassava as a suitable crop for climate change adaptation. Accordingly, most of the respondents considered cassava as a food security crop in the face of changing climatic conditions. Age, gender, marital status and availability of climate information were found to be basic determinants of farmer’s perception on cassava as climate change crop. The profitability of various crops produced in the study area was estimated using gross margin analysis. Among food crops grown in the study area, cassava was noted to constitute a significant share of household income, suggesting that is not only an important food crop but also a major source of income. This study concluded that, farmers perceive cassava as a climate change mitigation crop, hence recommends that the efforts by policy marker towards climate change adaptation while improving food security should target at improving and promoting cassava production.African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) and Kigoma Regional Administrative Secretar
Carbon stocks in the mangrove ecosystem of Rufiji river delta, Rufiji district, Tanzania
No full textMSc. Thesis in Ecosystems Science and ManagementOne of the most important ecosystem services provided by mangrove ecosystems is
to act as a carbon sink. Despite this role, most carbon storage studies in Tanzania
have concentrated on terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, carbon and volume
prediction models were developed for the mangrove ecosystem in Rufiji River
Delta, Tanzania. The models developed were used to estimate carbon. Soil organic
carbon as an important carbon reservoir was also assessed at different depths.
Biomass and volume prediction models were developed using linear regression
from a destructive sample of 50 trees spanning a wide range of DBH size classes.
Soil organic carbon was analyzed by wet oxidation method. Biomass models were
developed for stems, branches, roots, leaves and twigs and volume prediction
models for total volume. All linear and power form models developed were
significant at P<0.05 and P<O.OOI,respectively. The organic carbon was 39.61 t ha
I, 28.04 t ha' and 32.85 t ha-I at 0-15 em, 15-30 em and 30-60 em, respectively.
The Rufiji River Delta mangrove ecosystem was estimated to have 40.5 t ha-I of
aboveground carbon, 21.08 t ha-I of belowground carbon (roots) and 98.57 t ha-I of
soil organic carbon. The soil organic carbon (39.61 t ha-I
) at surface layer (0-15 ern) was significantly higher than at 15-30 ern (28.04 t ha") and 30-60 em depth (32.85 t ha") (P<0.05). Rhizophora mucronata contributed the highest (39.87%) biomass C, followed by Avicennia marina (28.06%). Sonneratia alba (2.58%) and Lumnitzera
racemosa contributed the least (1.98%). Volume was estimated at 168.85 rrr' ha-I
with Rhizophora mucronata contributing 39.3% and Avicennia marina 27.1% of the
total volume. Overall, soil organic C (61.6%) was almost twice that of vegetation
carbon contributing 38.4% emphasizing the role of soil as an important carbon
reservoir in mangrove ecosystems. The Rufiji River Delta mangrove ecosystem has
a high potential as an important carbon sink useful for climate change mitigation
through sustainable management.Climate Change Impact, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) programm
Application of remote sensing and developed allometric models for estimating wood carbon stocks in a North-Western Miombo Woodland landscape of Tanzania
No full textThis article is also available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/714734Quantifying ecosystem carbon stocks is vital for understanding the relationship between changes in land use and cover (LULC)
and carbon emissions; however, few studies have documented the impacts of carbon cycling on Miombo ecosystems. Here, we
estimate the amounts of wood carbon which is stored and lost as a result of LULC changes in Kagoma Forest Reserve (KFR) for the
periods between 1988 and 2010 using GIS data, Landsat imagery, and field observations.The land cover was captured on the basis of
Landsat 5 TMand Landsat 7 ETM.The amounts of wood carbon stored and lost were estimated based on four previously developed
allometric models. Spatial analysis of the Landsat images shows that in the year 1988, woodlands dominated the area by covering
32.66% whereas in the year 2010 the woodlands covered only 7.34% of the total area. The findings of the current study reveal that
KFR had undergone notable changes in terms of LULC for the period of 1988–2010. It was estimated that the woodlands in the KFR
lost an average of 4409.79 t Cyr−1. In this study, the amount of carbon stocks stored was estimated to be 21457.02 tonnes in tree stem
biomass based on the area (1226.12 ha) that was covered by woodlands. We estimated that an average of 17.79 t Ch−1 was stored in
the Miombo woodlands based on the four models. The efforts to ensure sustainable management of the Miombo ecosystem can
contribute to the creation of a considerable carbon sink.Norwegian embassy in Tanzani