Global warming is already altering the world's climate. Its impacts are felt in all sectors and
regions of society, through changes in temperature and precipitation as well as through changes
in the frequency and intensity of climate extreme events. In the Southern Highlands of Tanzania,
a higher frequency of torrential rains is expected. At the same time, in some areas of the
Southern Highlands, drought periods will be longer and more frequent.
Adverse impacts of climate change will negatively affect progress toward development in a
number of key areas including agriculture and food security, water resources, public health,
climate-related disaster risk management and natural resources management. National and local
planning must take these impacts into account. However, in Tanzania, the planning efforts of the
different sectors, institutions and non-governmental organizations in adapting to climate change
are not adequately coordinated. In particular, the coordination between the many districts and
regions of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania can be improved. Although, many local
adaptation initiatives exist, their approaches to changing climate are not systematically captured,
popularized and mainstreamed beyond sector or geographical boundaries.