Abstract:
Broadcast media improve the way people can access information about climate change. This role
is undeniable for a country such as Tanzania, which is facing direct impacts of threats of the
current and future climate change.This paper is based on a study conducted in Isimani Division,
Iringa Rural District, Tanzania. Cross-sectional research design was adopted involving a sample
size of 120 respondents. Questionnaires, Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions
were used to collect Data. IBM SPSS Statistics software and content analysis were used to analyse
data. The findings show that community broadcast media are important channels for accessing
and disseminating climate change information for awareness creation on the appropriate
adaptation and mitigation mechanisms against the negative impacts of climate change. The
recommended adaptation and mitigation strategies include the use of drought-tolerant crops, the
use of early maturing varieties, intercropping, the use of organic fertilizers and crops residual
management method. However, low income, language barrier, unreliable broadcast network, low
education level, inadequate climate change related programmes, and inadequate power supply
were challenges that impeded local communities from accessing information on climate change
adaptation and mitigation strategies. The study recommends that broadcast media owners and
journalists in Tanzania should disseminate information for raising community‘s awareness on the
aspects regarding adaptation and mitigation mechanisms to the impacts of climate change.
