Climate Change and Food Security in Tanzania: A Review of Trends, Effects and Projections
Herry Zacharia Matinda *
Department of Gender Studies, The Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy, Karume Campus, Zanzibar, P. O. Box 307 Zanzibar, Tanzania.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the trends, effects, and projections of climate change and food security in Tanzania. A systematic literature review design was used to collect, compare, and synthesize existing literature published between 2015 and 2025 based on climate change and food security in Tanzania. The analysis of the information collected in this study has been done through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that climate change has affected the agricultural sector and threatens the future status of food security in Tanzania. Also, results project that there is likely to be an obvious increase minimum and maximum temperature trends over the entire country in three future periods 2011-2040, 2041-2070, and 2071-2100 under both emission scenarios Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 and 4.5. Also, the study indicates that from 2021 to 2050, the annual rainfall cycle shows a slight decrease in monthly rainfall, especially from January to August, and an increase from September to December. The study concludes that climate change is significantly affecting food security in Tanzania. Although some regions remain food secure today, long-term stability is uncertain without coordinated actions. It recommends effective collaboration among government institutions, private sectors, and development partners as an essential way to accelerate progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Keywords: Tanzania, effects, projections, climate change, food security