The project ‘Strengthening the capacity for climate change adaptation through sustainable land and water management in Kiroka village, Morogoro’ was conceived by the local communities but was financed by FAO/Sida. Partnership for implementation was built within existing extension system between:- Communities in Kiroka Village, the Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives, Morogoro Zonal Irrigation and Technical Service Unit (MZITSU), Morogoro District Council, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO-TZ). An implementation team led by Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) was formed.
The overall objective of the project is to: ‘Reduce the impact of climate change and variability on smallholder farmers through sustainable land and water management and thereby contribute to improved agricultural productivity, livelihood and ecosystem resilience in Kiroka village, Morogoro’.
The implementation team employed participatory methods to establish a bank of innovations that could serve to alleviate these issues. Meetings were held at the village to address specific requirements of the lowlands and highlands as well as cross cutting issues. In the lowlands, innovations adopted included capacity building and awareness raising through trainings on improved rice production techniques using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), establishment of woodlots and the introduction of improved cooking stoves. The system of rice intensification requires farmers to transplant single seedlings, use wider plant spacing, allocates minimum water applications during vegetative growth period, keeping soils moist but well-drained and aerated, frequent weeding and the application of organic matter rather than chemical fertilizer.
To address the issues of deforestation, improved cook stove designs increase energy efficiency by providing heat containing, enclosed spaces that require less wood to be burned. Additionally, community woodlots were established in the form of tree nurseries and tree planting.
In the highlands, contour bunds have been used to prevent soil erosion and promote water retention. Farmers were trained to lay contour lines, dig trenches and throw soil on the down slope side. Bunds were further strengthened by planting pineapples which are high value crops. Between bunds bananas and some vegetables were planted; further promoting economic and food security.