Socio-ecological resilience to climate change effects in peri-urban areas: insights from the Pugu and Kazimzumbwi forest reserves of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

This article is exploring socio-ecological system adaptive capacities for building resilience to climate change effects in the peri-urban belt of Dar es Salaam, at the Pugu and Kazimzumbwi forest reserves. Three selected hamlets (Nzasa, Kisarawe and Pugu–Kibaoni) constitute the study area. A combination of household interview, key informant interview, focus group discussion complemented by literature review compose data collection techniques deployed. The study revealed diverse socio-ecological system ‘adaptive capacities’ for building resilience to climate change effects. These includes socio-cultural i.e. heterogenous ethnic groups, promising literacy rate, diverse age cohorts within the population and diverse occupations. Another set of adaptive capacities at Pugu and Kazimzumbwi socio-ecological system regards diverse and innovative ecosystem services based income generating activities i.e. Bee keeping industry and tourism industry in its multiple forms (food tourism, arts and craft tourism and nature tourism). Overall, the Pugu and Kazimzumbwi socio-ecological system has considerable adaptive capacities providing ample platform for agents to act upon in building resilience to climate change effects. It is hereby recommended that the nature, role and extent of agency be explored so as to establish the status quo and therefore the feasible entry point for policy intervention.