Local communities in Tanzania have been struggling to adapt to climate change and
variability and have already adopted use of different local knowledge and practices under
various adaptation mechanisms to respond to climate change impacts in different
ecological zones and livelihoods. The role of local knowledge and practices in enhancing
adaptation are not well studied and documented. This study aimed to assess roles of
community-based institutions, partnerships, networks and practices as measures to
enhance climate change adaptation (CCA) in Mwanga District. Primary and secondary
data were collected using Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques and Household
surveys. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis while quantitative data
were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Social Network
Analysis analyzed interactions of family networks, community-based institutions and
partnership networks. The study identified community-based formal and informal
institutions and partnerships that enhanced CCA. Informal institutions included
households, sacred forests (Mphungi), village communal work conferences
(Misalagambo), and traditional water sources (Ndiva). Formal institutions included
Village Government (VG), Faith Based Organizations, and smallholder irrigation farmers
groups. Institutions enhanced community climate change adaptive capacity through
common pool resources conservation, ownership, access and use. The VG regulated
community adaptations and resolved resource use conflicts. Informal partnerships
included finance saving groups. Formal partnerships included finance saving and credit
groups, cooperative banks and societies. Partnerships formed sources of knowledge,
financial capital and communal access to resources. Networks included food, cash and
work relationships within and outside study areas. Internal and external networks
increased households‘ adaptive capacity. Households adopted multiple adaptation
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practices. The study concludes that community-based institutions, partnerships,
organizations and networks enhance adaptive capacities at an individual, household, and
community level. The study recommends these be well facilitated to effectively enhance
CCA at micro scale.