Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Rural communities and agrifood industries along the Kilombero River floodplains landscape (AgCARS) in Tanzania

This innovative initiative is designed to explore climate change risks facing small-scale agri-food processing industries in the rural areas of the Kilombero landscape. It has the potential to scale up broadly across the country (Tanzania). This project aims to develop a strategic decision-making framework for policymakers to minimise climate risk on smallholder farmers and small-scale agricultural industries while aligning with Tanzania’s Five-Year Development Plan III and the National Climate Change Response Strategy (2021-2026).

AgCARS will provide vital insights into climate risks and opportunities as we navigate economic transformation, enhancing resilience through data-driven solutions. Our comprehensive approach includes:

• Collecting Spatial Data: We will gather critical information on rural farming systems, land cover, land use, and climatic variability to understand vulnerabilities and adaptation needs.

• Modelling Climate Risks and opportunities: By developing advanced models and early warning indicators, we aim to identify financial opportunities and inform policy decisions that mitigate risks.

• Community Engagement: We will collaborate with local communities, stakeholders, and experts to envision their future and create a roadmap for sustainable socio-economic growth and natural resource management.
  

Focusing on grassroots understanding of communities' visions of the future, the AgCARS project seeks to unlock a brighter, more sustainable future for rural communities in the landscape. By fostering resilient communities and robust agricultural practices, the project has the potential to scale up to wider geographic areas in Tanzania.

We are interested in extending partnerships and forging collaborations with interested parties to achieve broader goals by joining hands with communities in defining their future, creating a science-based impactful change towards climate-resilient communities.

On October, 24th project team (Dr. Deo Shirima (PI), Prof. Marion Pfeifer, Dr. Hamidu Seki, Dr. Zarah Pattison, Dr. James Hardwick, and Ms. Nandera Juma, convened at the Udzungwa Ecological Monitoring Centre for project execution planning meeting. The primary objective of this meeting was to strategize for the upcoming project launch workshop and outline the scenario data collection process during the workshop.

The discussions extended to the optimal allocation of sampling plots for biophysical data collection, focusing on essential ecological metrics, riparian ecosystem health assessments, Leaf Area Index measurements, and evaluations of riverbank erosion.

Additionally, the team emphasized the importance of socio-economic data, refining key questions to gather vital information from small-scale farmers and owners of small-scale agro-food processing small–scale industries in the Kilombero Valley. This comprehensive approach aims to enhance climate adaptation strategies and resilience, ultimately contributing to sustainable development in the region.