Agro-ecosystems’ resilience to damage: determination of index of susceptibility to climate change in mount kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

Abstract

This paper assesses maize-coffee-banana agro-ecosystems’ resilience to damage as well as computing the social-ecological vulnerability index to climate change on the southern slope of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The study focused on identifying agronomic practices and assessing their impacts on agro-ecosystems’ resilience; examine the socio-economic status of the farmers in the region and its impacts on agro-ecosystems; and examine the agro-ecosystems’ natural resilience and assess social-ecological vulnerability index to the impacts of climate change. About 400 households was covered in this household survey with response rate of 97% where by farmers were asked on their farming practices and systems, key informants and transect walk was also employed in gathering necessary information. Study was carried out at a specific designed transect for a selected part of Kilimanjaro region between Kisangesangeni-Miwaleni (700 m.a.s.l) and Makunduchi/Kirua Vunjo (1600 m.a.s.l) of about 21.7 km long at the southern part of Mount Kilimanjaro in Moshi rural district. The study shows a significant variation in agronomic practices with altitude and lack of sufficient agro-ecosystem resilience framing like conservation agriculture including agro-forestry, conservation tillage, contouring and terracing, mulching, Mix-intercropping, and fallowing to mention a few; pest and disease control, soil conservation infrastructure, and off farm diversification were also key challenge to farmers. Social-ecological and economic Parameters was used in computation of vulnerability index. Because of variation in altitude which associates with different in microclimate and soils, the vulnerability also varied with altitude. Elements like household cooking energy (94.8%), agriculture as main source of household income (94.5%), off farm contribution to the household (34%) etc. has shown to have some implication on household on choosing alternatives options on adaptations.