An Investigation of Grapevine Farmers’ Climate Change Awareness: A Case of Dodoma Region, Tanzania

Abstract

Lack of awareness owing to insufficient access to climate information is one of the factors contributing to farmers’ failure to adapt to climate change. The awareness of grapevine farmers about climate change was investigated in Dodoma, Central Tanzania. The study involved 248 respondents. Data were collected through questionnaires and document reviews, and analysed through inferential and descriptive statistics using the International Business Machines Corporation-Statistical Product and Service Solutions (IBM-SPSS) software. Findings revealed that age, education, sex, and access to climate information sources influenced grapevine farmers’ awareness of climate change. Climate change awareness was higher among grapevine farmers who had access to climate information and education; and males were more aware than females. As for the age group, the elderly was substantially more aware (p = 0.02, at 5% confidence level) than the youths. Radio, indigenous knowledge, and friends were the most important sources of climate information. To improve grapevine farmers’ awareness of climate change, the findings suggest strengthening grapevine farmers’ access to education services; improving collaboration with development practitioners, including the Tanzania Meteorological Agency and the media; improving farmers’ access to climate information; and focusing on sharing and transferring climate-related knowledge, skills, and experience among diverse groups.