Public perception of climate risk and adaptation in Tanzania: A systematic review

Abstract

Climate change is a pressing global challenge of the 21st century, with impacts including global warming, drought, famine, floods, tropical storms, and cyclones. One of the biggest challenges to mitigating climate change is people's perception of its risks. This study provides valuable insights on the public perception of climate risk and adaptation in Tanzania through a systematic review of peer-reviewed papers. The search was conducted using keywords related to climate change awareness, knowledge, perception, attitude, and risk adaptation from the Sokoine University of Agriculture Institutional repository (SUAIR) for publications between 2010 and 2022, 48 peer reviewed articles were reviewed. The review found that there is a high level of awareness (87.5%) of climate change, with many (77%) recognizing its impacts on their daily lives in terms of economic activities and gender roles. However, the perception of climate risk varies depending on factors such as gender, location, and socioeconomic status. For example, people living in rural areas perceived climate risks such as floods and drought more than those in urban areas did. Attitudes towards climate change adaptation also vary among different groups, with some people such as farmers more resilient and willing to adapt than pastoralists, people living in urban areas than people living in rural areas. The review identifies knowledge gaps in understanding the causes and impacts of climate change. Overall, this systematic review provides a comprehensive picture of current knowledge and understanding of the public perception of risk adaptation in Tanzania, highlighting areas for further research and policy action.