Farmers call for rainwater harvesting, insurance to tackle climate risks

DODOMA: FARMERS in Dodoma Region have appealed to the government to urgently implement climate commitments agreed at the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), citing the need for rainwater harvesting projects and agricultural insurance to safeguard livelihoods increasingly threatened by climate change.

The COP30 conference, held in Belém, Brazil, in November last year, saw Tanzania join countries that pledged about 20 million US dollars (about 48bn/-) to support climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives, with agriculture identified as a priority sector.

Farmers said the pledged funds should be prioritised for the development of rainwater harvesting infrastructure to support irrigation farming, alongside the establishment of agricultural insurance schemes to cushion them against losses caused by drought and unpredictable weather patterns.

A farmer from Bahi District, Mr Samwel Mlugu, said investment in rainwater harvesting would significantly enhance agricultural resilience in areas that largely depend on rainfall.

“Due to drought and unreliable rainfall, we often harvest far below our expectations. We are appealing to the government to channel COP funds into rainwater harvesting projects, which will greatly support us during dry seasons,” he said.

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Another farmer, Mr Agustino Ndonuu, said agricultural insurance would help prevent farmers from losing everything when crops fail as a result of climaterelated shocks.

He emphasised the need to register farmers through formal systems and to work closely with agricultural extension officers to ensure transparency and fairness in the implementation of insurance schemes.

“Agricultural insurance will help us recover from losses. Registration through official systems, in collaboration with extension officers, will ensure the scheme benefits farmers fairly and achieves its intended objectives,” he said.

Meanwhile, reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underscore the urgent need for increased investment in water storage infrastructure in semi-arid regions such as Dodoma as part of broader climate adaptation strategies.

The reports identify rainwater harvesting as a key intervention for strengthening agricultural resilience in rain-fed economies that are highly vulnerable to climate change.