The Nexus between Climate Change Awareness, Impacts, and Adaptation Strategies in Coastal Communities of Tanga Region, Tanzania

Abstract

Climate change poses a challenge to coastal communities in sub-Saharan Africa, yet there is limited understanding of community awareness, its impacts, and the adaptation strategies employed by smallholder farmers to respond to it. This study examines the nexus among climate change awareness, perceived impacts, and adaptation strategies among coastal communities in the Tanga Region of Tanzania. It was guided by two hypotheses: H1, that coastal communities possess significant awareness of climate change, reflected in perceived changes in temperature and rainfall associated with adverse impacts on coastal ecosystems and livelihoods; and H2, that coastal communities employ diverse adaptation strategies whose perceived effectiveness varies significantly. A cross-sectional study design was used, comprising 388 households selected via simple random sampling for the quantitative component and 15 key informants purposively selected for the qualitative component, for a total of 403 respondents. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including one-sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Chi-square tests, whereas qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings reveal that higher awareness was associated with increased temperature and lower rainfall, the most prominent indicators across communities. Inferential analysis revealed a statistically significant association between climate change and perceived environmental impacts, including fish habitat destruction, species decline, reduced fishing activities, and declining agricultural productivity, supporting H1. There is a need to enhance educational interventions, strengthen institutional capacity, and establish context-specific adaptation strategies that integrate local knowledge and scientific approaches to enhance coastal resilience.