Throughout the years, Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT) has participated in numerous projects regarding community engagement. Thus, SAT and its enhanced facilitators have much experience in knowledge dissemination, application of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) practices, and other approaches encouraging community engagement in addressing challenges they face. One of the latest projects is the Participatory Climate Risk Assessment Hub (PCRAH), which is implemented in Tanzania with the support of Bread for the World (BftW) and eleven of its partner organizations that are active in different Tanzanian regions, including Tarime and Musoma-Mara, Misungwi-Mwanza, Shinyanga, Same-Kilimanjaro, Chemba and Kondoa-Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Makete-Njombe, and Morogoro.

Local knowledge is crucial

PCRAH started in 2022 as a two-year pilot project using the Participatory Assessment of Climate and Disaster Risks (PACDR) tool for integrating climate and disaster risks into community planning and development. The tool consists of seven modules that build upon each other to enable users to systematically incorporate the consideration of climate and disaster risks into community planning and development. Nevertheless, the potential for improving the adaptive capacity of households and communities or for implementing climate-friendly strategies may be unclear at first glance. Moreover, for some, the process might even seem daunting. But the fact is, taking account of hazards, risks, global warming, and local responses requires information. And good local knowledge can—and must—contribute to assessing climate and disaster risks. Furthermore, it is crucial to find a way of organizing knowledge and evidence into an effective plan. The PACDR tool can guide the way and contribute to the development goal of the PCRAH project, that is, for civil society organizations (CSOs) to contribute to increased climate awareness and resilience of local communities in Tanzania.

Get communities included

One of the significant project objectives includes local communities developing and implementing adaptation action plans. Therefore, CSOs in Tanzania, capacitated by SAT, must successfully facilitate climate risk assessments using PACDR, including follow-ups. SAT acts as an information hub and provides technical support to BftW partner organizations in contextualizing the PACDR tool at a community level. The project is working through sharing knowledge and practices that are part and parcel of the developed adaptation plans in the implementation process.

One of the interventions used by the PCRAH Project is borrowing expertise from previous projects implemented by SAT, like the technologies introduced and promoted in the community to address climate change impacts and disaster risks.

Beneficiaries

Direct project beneficiaries

• A total of 2006 (1200 women, 800 men, and six people with disabilities) community members from Mkindo and Msufini in Mvomero District.
• A total of 11 Bread for the World Partner organizations
• A total of 4 SAT staff (2 women and 2 men)
• A total of 20 (10 women and 10 men) Local Government Authorities (LGAs) leaders (VEO, WEO, Ward Councilors), Agriculture extension agents, and Community development officers of Mvomero District and
• 6 (3 women and 3 men) line ministries’ indirect beneficiaries.

Indirect beneficiaries

• A total of 505 (300 women, 200 men, and five people with disabilities) downstream community members from other Communities around MkNRF and
• A total of 2405 (1300 women, 1100 men, and people with disabilities) Community members of BftW POs

Outputs

Outputs under Objective 1

• A total number of 905 (536 women, 318 men, and one person with a disability) community members from Mkindo and Msufini in Mvomero District are aware of the project and participated in the endorsement of the action plan.
• A total of 17 (6 women and 11 men) local government authorities (LGAs) leaders (VEO, WEO, ward councilors), agriculture extension agents, and community development officers of Mvomero District participated in the awareness creation, endorsement of the action plans, and implementation of the developed adaptation strategies.
• Two (2) reports on the Participatory Assessment of Climate and Disaster Risks, including Findings, Recommendations, and Actions, were developed and shared in two communities.
• Pilot communities developed and endorsed two (2) action plans that identified and documented adaptation goals and refined/further developed adaptation strategies.

Outputs under objective 2

• A total of 52 (28 women and 24 men) representatives of 7 BftW Partner Organizations have enhanced knowledge and experience in successful PACDR facilitation and follow-up; they know possible problems/gaps/challenges and solutions.
• Two feedback meeting reports from the virtual PACDR community of practice document how members shared their problems/challenges and lessons learned and developed solutions.
• SAT community facilitators are capacitated to play their role as PACDR facilitators and multipliers. A total of 11 backstopping sessions (9 for the PACDR application and 2 for establishing the project monitoring tool and its application)
• An information hub in Tanzania for participatory climate change impact and disaster risk assessment was established. A Dropbox folder was created and used. Four resource folders updated, including experience from the field—sample pictures, reports - PACDR Facilitation, meetings, backstopping; other materials—facilitation skills, EMA-2004, latest update from NEMC, National Master Plan, Tanzania NDC, and PACDR information.

To read more about the Participatory Assessment Tool for Impacts and Risks caused by Disasters resulting from Climate Change (PACDR)/SWAHILI, CLICK HERE

The project is kindly supported by Brot für die Welt.

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