Policy Process for Climate Change Adaptation in the Agricultural Sector: A case study of Tanzania....

Policy Process for Climate Change Adaptation in the

Agricultural Sector: A case study of Tanzania.

By

Kassim Kulindwa, UDSM, Tanzania /Noragric, UMB, Norway

Outline Introductory background Framework for policy processes analysis

for climate change adaptation Experiences form implementation in

Tanzania Prospects for policy adoption; a multiple

target engagement approach Conclusions

Introductory background Background

We note that climate change is on the agenda of many developing nations currently

We also note that more research is being done on climate change with the aim of feeding to policy and influence behavioural change

However, we also note that there exists a gap between research and policy

Evidence translation into appropriate policies is partial and slow particularly in developing countries(Morten Anserud et al, 2005). So many good research output gathering dust on shelves without getting a chance to inform policy!

Context: Nature of policy processes

Linear process The conventional policy making approach is

represented by a linear process with stages which rational decisions are taken by omnipotent government authorities i.e. policy makers

Assumption is that they use researched evidence. The earlier policies of 1970s and 80s were

thought to be national, but in reality were government policies because they represented the sector at the national level but not by the way they were formulated and whose interests they represented

Nature of policy processes Non linear process

Policy development processes are complex protracted & non linear with a multitude of actors and interests some of which counteract.

Have greater chance for evidence based dialogue Post 1980’s the top down approach of policy

making has been replaced by participatory approach with the civil society represented by NGOs (local and international), CBO, the private sector and others make their voices heard

Non linear process The National Land Policy which took 5 years ,

while its bill took 10 years to prepare and get accepted in 2005.

Main actors included NGOs for gender equality& pastoralists’ rights, academics, government and donors whose participation was not so explicit .

The other example is the NGO policy which took about 5 years to prepare while the bill took only 1 year to be developed and passed.

Actors involved included Donors, NGOs, international institutions and the government

Motivation Share experience of how gap

between research and policy could possibly be bridged Through learning from a case study

done in Tanzania in collaboration with IDS –University of Sussex through funding from IDRC

Conceptual Framework: Three lenses approach

Narratives/discourse: how are research and policy narratives framed, and how are research messages communicated, considered and reframed?

Politics and interests: what are the power relations, dynamics and incentives for policy, and what causes something to stick in people’s minds?

Actors and institutions: what networks, organisations, norms, individuals and champions are involved, formally and informally?

This approach aims to uncover where the historic and future “Agents , drivers of change” and policy spaces that influence policy around climate adaptation in the agricultural sector

Three Lenses Approach (IDS 2006)

Narratives and Discourse

Politics and interests

Actors and institutions

Analytical lenses

Framework for policy process analysis

What are policy spaces These are avenues by which different

actors may use to influence policy. There are a number of policy spaces including Popular spaces

for awareness creation through public meetings invited space

When a proposer is invited to present their ideas to interested and influential group,

Political spaces (parliament etc)

Policy spaces cont... Practical spaces

E.g. Farm Field Schools in the study area Bureaucratic space

Interaction with the government and agencies Conceptual spaces

academic fora mainly Discursive spaces

where new ideas and framings are introduced into debate, and circulated through various media

Experiences from implementation in Tanzania

Premise of study: “Risk management, reduced vulnerability and

agricultural productivity in Tanzania” conducted by SUA researchers through

participatory action research (PAR) funded by IDRC Study area in Same District, Kilimanjaro region 3 sites covering low , middle and highland – In

Usamabaras (semi arid with chronic food shortages)

Established farmer field schools for researching on farming technology options

Study Implementation Process

Identified and analysed Actors’ roles and their position in terms of CC adaptation and their policy spaces

Reviewed narratives by these actors and what the counter narratives were

Looked at existing Politics and interests in CC adaptation in agriculture Do they facilitate or impede adaptation?

Stakeholder analysis Identified stakeholders include:

Farmers, District Agricultural officers, DC, RC, TMA (district and national),

Government: Environment Management Unit –MAFC, Food Security Directorate – MAFC, Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MOWI), VPO – Division of environment,

International Organisations: FAO – Tanzania Office, World Bank, UNDP etc

NGO’s: WWF – Tanzania Programme Office, SAIPRO etc and the PAR Researchers

Stakeholders/ actors analysis

s.n.

Major Stakeholder Identified

Stakeholder Mandates and roles

1 Farmers Testing and demonstration of the project concept and users of the products of the field experiments. These are potential beneficiaries of the project outputs.

2 DALDO Providing agricultural extension education through extension officers in the district

3 DCs Office Responsible for district administration, coordination and supervision of development efforts in the district. It is the highest policy making office at the local government level. Supporting the project and making facilitative decisions such as making the district TMA staff a member of the full council forum.

4 RC’s Office Coordinate administrative and development issues at the regional level through Regional Consultative Council (RCC) as the highest decision and policy body at the regional level.

5 TMA Same District Generate and make available weather data and information to the national TMA and advice on weather conditions to various users in the district.

6 TMA Dar es Salaam

Provide national weather information and advice to various users national wide.

7 Environment Management Unit -MAFC

Coordination of environmental issues in the MAFC. Responsible for conducting and overseeing EIA for agriculture projects.

Stakeholders/ actors analysis

8 Food Security Directorate - MAFC

Coordinate food security matters in the country and provide situation analysis and early warning of food situation nation wide. Responsible for collecting early warning information including weather conditions which affect agricultural production.

9 Ministry of Water and Irrigation. (MOWI)

Develop and manage water resources and utilisation nationwide including irrigation agriculture

10 VPO – Division of Environment

Policy and coordination of environmental issues countrywide. Responsible for NAPA and all climate change matters in the country and linking the country with the rest of the world.

11 FAO – Tanzania Office Technical backstopping in agricultural issues in the country. Has great interest in climate change issues as it affects agriculture and livelihoods.

12 WWF – Tanzania Programme Office

Environmental and natural resource conservation and advocacy. Has a global programme called climate witness through which WWF connects with people around the world and provides them with an opportunity to share stories about how climate change impacts their lives

13 PAR Researchers Responsible for the scientific input into finding adaptation measures to climate change in collaboration with their boundary partners

14 SAIPRO Its mandate is to facilitate and promote sustainable agricultural production (crops and livestock) through capacity-building and enhancement of balanced social relations of organised and committed smallholder farmers and agro-pastoralists of the Western Lowlands of Same District to effectively utilise the available resources for their own benefit.

Actor roles and policy spaces

s.n. Stakeholder Role Target Audience

Policy Space

1 Head-Environmental management unit (EMU) - MAFS

Make policy proposal known to management and get them interested enough to act.

Through their Director and eventually to the PS

Invited and Bureaucratic policy spaces

2 Director-Directorate of National Food Security - MAFS

Make the policy proposal known to management and convince them of its importance to food security. They could work together with the EMU

Director of National Food Security and PS


3 Director- Policy and Planning - MAFS

Make policy proposal known to the Agriculture sector consultative group which includes Development partners, the Government, Private sector and NGOs. This forum meets four (4) times a year

Director of Policy and Planning as the Focal point to the consultative group



4 FAO (Resident Representative)

Support the policy proposal dissemination by bringing the PAR project to the attention of the Development Partners’ forum. The host is FAO – Acts as secretariat for DP.

Agriculture working group of the DP who invite people to present on agriculture development issues in the country monthly.

Invited spaces

5 WWF Tanzania (Climate Witness Programme)

Report on the project outputs through their climate witness programme through TV, internet etc.

Government, all stakeholders (viewers and internet users etc)

Practical spaces, Invited and Bureaucratic spaces.

6 Vice President’s Office – Division of Environment.

Bring the policy proposal to the attention of the government through cabinet paper reporting on climate change annually

Cabinet – through the Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee IMTC

Bureaucratic space


7 World Bank They could support the policy proposal dissemination by bringing it to the attention of the Development Partners’ forum & Agriculture sector consultative group.

Agriculture working group of the DP and Agriculture sector consultative who invite people to present on agriculture development issues in the country quarterly and monthly respectively.

Invited space

8 UNDP -same as above- -same as above- Invited space9 Policy Forum They could support the

policy proposal dissemination by bringing it to the attention of over 60 NGOs registered in Tanzania

Active citizens’ voice working Group of the forum that analyses issues, generates information and shares with other members, and with the general public

Invited space

Narratives, politics and interests

Government. subscribe to the discourse of Climate Change

Climate change is real and has huge impacts to vulnerable developing countries – President Kikwete Oct. 2009

Agriculture is the backbone of the economy (NAP 1997)

Agriculture is the largest employer. 75% of population dependent on subsistence agriculture- (NAP 1997)


District commissioner Eager to be part of the solution to a

long standing food deficit situation hence raise his political capital

Constituency MP also Deputy Minister for Agriculture. Supportive for obvious reasons of being

an MP and a government minister

Narratives, politics and interests Central government

Avert catastrophe due to CC, ensure food security and reduce poverty

Local Government Opportunity to solve the food shortage

problem through the project

Narratives, politics and interests NGOs are pro adaptation narrative

Climate change adaptation vital to vulnerable communities to avert food insecurity – SAIPRO

Their interests are seeing their role and efforts in

supporting rural communities achieve food security through adaptation, result into positive outcomes

Narratives, politics and interests Farm input suppliers also subscribe to

Climate change is detrimental to business and agriculture e.g. Uncertainty of input supply time

Farm input suppliers Looking to benefits from the adaptation

project and proposed policy by selling more inputs in time and stocking the right/recommended inputs


Communities See Climate change impact is

devastating to their livelihoods and wellbeing-failing crops

Communities interested in Reduced vulnerability to changing

climate by increasing their agricultural output

Seen as potential project outcomes


Counter narratives to agriculture adaptation to climate change as discussed earlier

We did not identify counter narratives to the agric adaptation to CC, nor actors whose interests would be threatened by CC adaptation, we however identified sceptics who thought adaptation funds for developing countries may not be forthcoming!

Others wondered whether at the household level adaptation could be anything different from the coping strategies used by farmers in times of droughts and floods, is it anything new?

Prospects for policy adoption

The process has so far achieved a number of outcomes at different levels including A collaborative working relationship has

been established between TMA, District agricultural extension officers, NGO, Traditional weather forecasters, Input providers to provide a timely weather information and farming advice brochure and distribute it to farmers in the district


The Same District council facilitated by the PAR researchers has established a decision making forum (DMF)

Housed at the district council comprised of farmers, weather forecasters (traditional and scientific), input suppliers, agricultural extension officers, NGOs, making decisions on information on weather forecasts and advice on farming timing, crops and inputs


District commissioner to include the DMF operation in district budgeting process

Invited the district weather forecaster (TMA) to be a member of the full council-highest policy body,

TMA is working to document Indigenous Knowledge to scientifically correlate it with weather parameters

Farmers in the project area are experimenting with knowledge obtained from the project.


Further engagement of the actors earlier identified who are important avenues for policy process should be undertaken e.g. Development Partners Forum through FAO Agriculture Sector Consultative Group through

Director of Policy and Planning MAFC Inter-Ministerial Technical committee through

VPO Environment Active citizens and Public through Policy Forum

Conclusions Framework very useful for understanding the

policy landscape through identification of interests and relevant narratives and counter narratives, actors and therefore policy spaces i.e. How to navigate the policy process.

It is important to target different levels for influencing change and not only the top brass

Robustness of research evidence is important to convince and influence policy makers and other actors’ thinking and behavioural change

Policy Process for Climate Change Adaptation in the Agricultural Sector: A case study of Tanzania....

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