Exploring the impact of prolonged climate change on households’ food security in Kongwa District, Tanzania

Climate change is one of the main threats to global food security that affects food availability, accessibility, utilisation, and stability at all levels, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including Tanzania, where the majority of livelihoods depend on rain-fed agriculture. This study explores the effects of long-term changes in climate variability on food security in Kongwa District, Dodoma Region, Tanzania, based upon four dimensions of food security: availability, accessibility, stability, and utilisation. A qualitative research method was used, and the data were obtained from semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews in the field with a total of 46 respondents from small-scale farmers, agricultural extension officers, and district agricultural officers. The results indicate that climatic variability, expressed by increases in temperature, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and escalating incidence of pests and diseases, harms agricultural productivity and household food security. Crop yield losses, price rises, loss of food safety and nutritional value, as well as instability in food supply, have occurred due to the impact of climate change. While increased CO ₂ levels have some limited monetary compensation effects on yields, the positive effect is more than offset by negative impacts from extreme weather and land degradation. The study concludes that climate variability has greatly exacerbated food insecurity in Kongwa district and suggests specific adaptation and mitigation measures such as improved water management, investment in climate-resilient technologies, rural infrastructural development, and institutional support, as well as enhancing financial support for smallholder farmers to cope with food insecurity associated with climatic challenges.