Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Narratives and their contestation
Two categories of narratives emerged in our investigation: one related to climate
change; the other to agricultural development and food security. On the climate
change front, we found all actors held views in line with the narrative that
'Climate change is real and has huge impacts to vulnerable developing countries'.
However, a few academicians interviewed in this study argued that inaction on
the part of certain actors, particularly national governments and development
partners, in making adaptation funds available indicates that such actors are little
occupied with the urgency of dealing with climate change, despite their verbal
rhetoric. We also found that climate debates in terms of whether what is being
experienced is climate change or variability (see IPCC 2007 for definitions) is
becoming evident. Some of those interviewed, particularly from the spheres
of government and the academic world, wondered whether, at the household
level, adaptation strategies could be anything different from the coping strategies
already used by farmers in times of droughts and floods - i.e. that there is
nothing new in the drive for adaptation to climate change. Others hold that
such views are the result of limited awareness of climate change, with most
Tanzanians being unfamiliar with the concepts of climate change and global
warming (Hepworth 2010).
Although many interviewees from civil society, government and academic
institutions accepted the reality of climate change and the need for adaptation to
avoid its negative impacts, a few educated actors in government and academic
institutions argued that climate change is a priority that has been imposed on
the government by international conventions; and they question the urgency of
dealing with it. In government circles, it is argued that the more basic pressing
problems of food insecurity and abject poverty need immediate attention,
and that the country lacks the capability for effective coping due to lack of
the necessary resources. However, an interview with the VPO Division of
Environment confirmed the government's interest and commitment to honour
its international obligations under the Kyoto Protocol in order to maintain its
good reputation and be able to benefit from the global funds expected to be
made available through the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for mitigation and
adaptation.
For farmers at the local level, the dominant narrative concerns climate
variability and its impact on livelihoods. The District Agricultural Office has put
considerable efforts into irrigation as a means for adapting to climate change/
variability impacts. On the other hand, the District Meteorological Office works
on weather forecasting, without much linkage to other district-level actors. The
result is separate, uncoordinated and often ineffective weather-related advice
to farmers. Moreover, putting more emphasis on irrigation and less on other
adaptation measures is bound to produce more vulnerable communities in
areas where there are no rivers, lakes or dams to provide water for irrigation.
Mediating these uncoordinated efforts are NGOs like SAIPRO, which tries to
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