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The preparation of the Tanzania National Adaption Programme of Action plan is the result of the impacts of climate change on sectors such as agriculture, water, health, energy and others in 2007. Tanzania NAPA document is informed by the aspirations of National Development Vision 2025 for high and shared growth, quality livelihood, peace, stability and unity, good governance, high-quality education and global competitiveness. The NAPA preparatory process involved the participation of many stakeholders. The multi-disciplinary team used participatory approaches to ensure that national plans and strategies are integrated into the document. This approach ensured that the NAPA document was developed in a transparent and participatory manner, a feature that would further ensure that the proposed activities are implemented and adopted by target vulnerable communities.The overall vision of Tanzania's NAPA is to identify immediately and urgent Climate Change Adaptation Actions that are robust enough to lead to long-term sustainable development in a changing climate. It will also identify climate change adaptation activities that most effectively reduce the risks that a changing climate poses to sustainable development.The main objectives of NAPA are: (i) to identify and develop immediate and urgent NAPA activities to adapt to climate change and climate variability, (ii) to protect life and livelihoods of the people, infrastructure, biodiversity and environment, (iii) to mainstream adaptation activities into national and sectoral development policies and strategies, development goals, visions and objectives, (iv) to increase public awareness to climate change impacts and adaptation activities in communities, civil society and government officials, (v) to assist communities to improve and sustain human and technological capacity for environmentally friendly exploitation of natural resources in a more sustainable way in a changing climate, (vi) to complement national and community development activities which are hampered by adverse effects of climate change, and (vii) to create a long-term sustainable livelihood and development activities at both community and national level in a changing climatic conditions.The following project activities were ranked (by the NAPA team in consultation with stakeholders) as the top most in terms of priorities: (i) increase irrigation by using appropriate water efficient technologies to boost crop production in all areas, (ii) alternative farming systems and relocation of water sources including wells along the low-lying coastal areas (iii) develop water harvesting and storage programs for rural communities particularly those in dry lands (iv) community-based catchments conservation and management programs, (v) explore and invest in alternative clean energy sources e.g. Wind, Solar, bio-diesel, etc (vi) promotion of application of cogeneration in the industry sector (vii) a forestation programmes in degraded lands using more adaptive and fast growing tree species, (viii) develop community forest fire prevention plans and programmes (ix) establishing and strengthening community awareness programmes on preventable major health hazards, (x) implement sustainable tourism activities, (xi) enhance wildlife extension services and assistance to rural communities in managing wildlife resources, (xii) water harvesting and recycling, (xiii) construction of artificial structures, e.g., sea walls, artificially placing sand on the beaches and coastal drain beach management system, (xiv) establish good land tenure system and facilitate sustainable human settlements.In order to eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, the NAPA plans to promote the use of drought tolerant food crops in drought-prone areas of Shinyanga, Dodoma and Singida regions for sustainable food production. For this purpose, the following activities are planned by the programme: (i) to ensure production and supply of food to local community in the drought-prone areas by replacing maize with the relevant drought tolerant crops, (ii) the coastal community will have reliable access to safe and clean drinking water and thus reduce their valuable time and energy spent on fetching water.In order to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, the NAPA envisages to create awareness to local communities of the negative impacts of climate change on maize production and identification of suitable crops to climate change induces and to promote sustainable utilization of water in small-scale traditional irrigation practices. In addition, the programme will establish nurseries and replanting trees in the degraded areas.Regarding the reduction of rural poverty, the NAPA plans to improve livelihood communities around Mt Kilimanjaro by providing alternative sources of income and food through replanting of trees and economic diversification.To increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises, the NAPA envisages to implement the following activities: (i) ensure community awareness on malaria in newly-malaria infected areas, (ii) ensure capacity building for local medical practitioners and selected health centers, (iii) ensure increased use of available alternative methods in combating menace of malaria, (iv) to create awareness on climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and afforestation through community participatory efforts and (v) awareness to the communities on the cause and impacts and explore their adjustments to the problems faced due to climate change impacts.In the context of governance, the proposed project profiles will be implemented and managed by relevant sectors. However, the coordination role is vested to the Vice President's Office-Division of Environment which is the country's focal point regarding environmental issues. Furthermore, monitoring and evaluation of the projects will be done by the Vice President's Office in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.
