Modelling the Determinants of Using Matengo Pits in Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change and Variability: The Case of Mbinga District, Tanzania
Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International, Volume 26, Issue 9,
Page 46-54
DOI:
10.9734/jgeesi/2022/v26i9632
Abstract
Aims: This study was undertaken to find out what determines the adoption of Matengo pits in order to adapt to the impact of climate change and variability.
Study Design: The study adopted a quantitative research design. The design allowed collection of a wide range of numerical data, covering the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and their households, farm characteristics and institutional factors. These data were important in finding out the determinants of using Matengo pits.
Methodology: The study was conducted in Mbinga District, south-western Tanzania, because of the predominance of the pits. Three wards, which constituted about 10% of all 28 wards, were randomly selected and one village from each ward was selected to represent the other villages. Data were collected using structured interviews with systematically selected respondents from the sampling frame, which comprised all the heads of farmer households. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to find out the determinants of practicing Matengo pits.
Results: The findings indicated that slope of the land was the most important factor that determined the use of Matengo pits. This was based on the Wald value of 42.846, which was greater than all the other Wald values and the p-values of 0.000 at a 95% confidence level. Other significant determinants of using Matengo pits were sex of the household head (p-value = 0.000), farming experience (p-value = 0.002), knowledge of Matengo pits as a strategy for adapting to climate change and variability (p-value = 0.004) and the size of a household (p-value = 0.014).
Conclusion: Matengo pits dominated the steep slopes of the study area, where they were introduced for soil conservation purposes. Low practicing of the pits were observed in the low land areas because some farmers had no knowledge about the usefulness of Matengo pits in their areas. Besides, the strategy is adopted differently by different sex, whereby male headed households were mostly practicing Matengo pits than their female counterparts. This is attributed to difficulties involved in digging the pits among the females and low income to employ other people to dig the pits. Further, farming experience and knowledge about the usefulness of the pits in adapting to climate change and variability increased the rate of practicing the strategy. Regarding the size of a household, small household size reduced adoption due to small labour force to engage in digging the pits.
In view of these findings, it is argued that knowledge of the usefulness of Matengo pits for adapting to the impacts of climate change and variability and availability of financial resources can help to overcome the barriers to practicing Matengo pits. As such, the Government, Non-Governmental Organisations and Community-Based Organisations should provide education about the usefulness of the pits and fiscal resources to motivate more famers in the district and other areas to adopt Matengo pits so as to improve their adaptive capacity, food security and the general socio-economic development.
- Climate change and variability
- matengo pits
- determinants
- logistic regression
How to Cite
References
Walsh, J. Wuebbles, D. Hayhoe, K. Kossin, J. Kunkel, K. Stephens, G. Thorne, P. Vose, R. Wehner, M. Willis, J. Anderson, D. Doney, S. Feely, R. Hennon P. Kharin, V. Knutson, T. Landerer, F. Lenton, T. Kennedy, J. and Somerville, R. Our Changing Climate: Climate Change Impacts in the United States. In: J. Melillo. T. Richmond and G. Yohe, ed., The Third National Climate Assessment, U.S. Global Change Research Program; 2014.
World Bank. Agricultural Growth and Poverty Reduction: Additional Evidence. Washington D.C., World Bank; 2010.
Christopherson. R.W. and Birkeland, G.H. Geosystems: An Introduction to Physical Geography. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, USA: Pearson Education, Inc.; 2018.
Prasad, P. V. Climate Change and Climate Variability: El Salvador – Impacts on Productivity of Grain Crops and Opportunities for Management and Improvement; 2011.
Available: www.digitalcommons.unl.edu/intsormilpresent76.
Msuya, D. G. Farming Systems and Crop-livestock Land Use Consensus: Tanzanian Perspectives. Open Journal of Ecology. 2013;3(7):473-481.
Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oje.2013.37055.
Akinnagbe, O. M. and Irohibe, I. J. Agricultural Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change Impacts in Africa: A Review. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research. 2014;39(3):407-418.
Nhemachena, C. and Hassan, R. M. Micro-Level Analysis of Farmers’ Adaptation to Climate Change in Southern Africa. Washington DC, International Food Policy Research Institute; 2007.
Bryan, E. Deressa T. T. Gbetibouo, G and Ringler, C. Adaptation to Climate Change in Ethiopia and South Africa: Options and Constraints. Environmental Science & Policy. 2009;12:413-426.
Available:https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2008.11.002.
Gbetibouo, G. A. Understanding Farmers’ Perceptions and Adaptations to Climate Change and Variability: The Case of the Limpopo Basin, South Africa. International Food Policy Research Institute. 2009.
McCarthy, J. Canziani, O. Leary, N. Dokken, D. and White, K. Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: Contribution of Working Group II to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Cambridge University Press. London; 2001.
Kangalawe, R. Y. Mung’ong’o, C. G. Mwakaje, A. G. Kalumanga, E. and Yanda, P. Z. Climate Change and Variability Impacts on Agricultural Production and Livelihood Systems in Western Tanzania. Climate and Development. 2017;9(3):202-216.
Available:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2016.1146119.
Malley, Z.J.U., Kayombo, B, B., Willcocks, T.J., &Mtakwa, P.W. Ngoro: An indigenous, sustainable and profitable soil, water and nutrients conservation system in Tanzania sloping land. Soil and Tillage Research. 2004;77(1).
Moritsuka, N., Taivaka, U., Tsunoda, M., Mtakwa, P., &Kosak T. Significance of Plant Residue Management under the Matengo Pit System in Mbinga District, Southern Tanzania. pn. J. Trop. Agr. 2000;44(2):130-137.
Nyasimi, M., Kimeli, P., Sayula, G., Radeny, M., Kinyangi, J., &Mungai, C. Adoption and Dissemination Pathways for Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies and Practices for Climate-Resilient Livelihoods in Lushoto, Northeast Tanzania. Climate. MDPI; 2017.
Nakamo, S.J. Multi-criterial analysis for modelling Matengo/Ngolo pits agro-ecological zones using fuzzy logic in Southern Tanzania. IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 911. 012080.
DOI:10.1088/1755-1315/911/1/012080. IOP Publishing. 2021.
Malekela, A. A and Lusiru, S. N. Climate change adaptation strategies through traditional farming practices. The case of Matengo pits in Mbinga District, Tanzania, International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews. 2022;3(5):3023-3033.
Davis, F. D. A Technology Acceptance Model for Empirically Testing New End-User Information Systems: Theory and Results. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management (leaves 233-250).
Available:www.researchgate.net/publication/35465050. 1986.
Rogers, E. M. Diffusion of Innovations. 5th edition. New York, The Free Press. 2003.
Kothari, C. R. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. 2nd edition. New Delhi, New Age International Publishers Limited. 2004.
Fosu-Mensah, B. Y. Vlek, P. L. G. and Manschadi, A. M. Farmers’ Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change; A Case Study of Sekyedumase District in Ghana. In: World Food System - A Contribution from Europe. Tropentag, Zurich. 2010: 14–16.
Muzamhindo, N. Mtabheni, S. Jiri, O. and Hanyani-Mlambo, B. Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers’ Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability in Chiredzi District of Zimbabwe. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development. 2015;6(9):1–9.
Deressa, T. T. Hassan, R. M. Ringler, C. Alemu, T and Yesuf, M. Determinants of farmers’ choice of adaptation methods to climate change in the Nile Basin of Ethiopia. Journal of Global environmental change. 2009;19.
Nabikolo, D. Bashaasha, B. Mangheni, N. M. and Majaliwa, J. G. Determinants of Climate Change Adaptation among Male and Female Headed Farm Households in Eastern Uganda. African Crop Science Journal. 2012;20(s2):03-212.
Tenge, A. De Graaff, J. and Hella, J. P. Social and Economic Factors Affecting the Adoption of Soil and Water Conservation in West Usambara Highlands, Tanzania. Land Degradation and Development. 2004;15:99-114.
Available:onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ldr.606
-
Abstract View: 125 times
PDF Download: 50 times