Climate change adaptation practices and challenges among women maize farmers in rural Tanzania: a case study of Nyasa district

This study investigates the impacts of climate change and the adaptation practices of women maize farmers in Nyasa District, Tanzania. Guided by the Feminist Political Ecology (FPE) framework and a social constructivist paradigm, the research explores how women perceive climate change, the strategies they employ, and the socio-institutional barriers that shape their adaptive capacity. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, and participant observation with 25 women farmers, 2 extension officers, and 2 agrovet dealers. The findings indicate that women perceive climate change through delayed rains, prolonged droughts, increased temperatures, and pest outbreaks, which have led to lower maize yields, heightened food insecurity, and increased labour burdens. Women respond to challenges through strategies such as crop diversification, the utilization of indigenous knowledge, and seasonal adjustments. However, their efforts are constrained by limited access to resources, credit, extension services, and secure land rights, exacerbated by gender norms and institutional exclusion. The study concludes that addressing climate impacts in rural Tanzania requires gender-responsive policies that centre women’s voices, recognize their contributions, and dismantle structural barriers to equitable adaptation.