For many years, farmers in Kongwa District have been living with uncertainty while planning and deciding on livelihood activities. The rains that once arrived on time now come late, or not at all. Seeds are sown in hope, with less consideration to weather information ending in disappointing harvest. “We used to guess when the rains would start. Sometimes we planted too early or late and lost everything,” said Ms. Gloria Chinoga, a farmer from Mlali village in Kongwa District

To address this challenge, Climate Action Network Tanzania (CAN Tanzania) recently held the meeting to collect basic information from the communities in Kongwa District on the crops they grow, seed varieties they plant and their sources of weather information. It was a first step towards process ownership while developing cropping calendars before the start of rain season in Kongwa District.

The basic information was enriched during the second stage at District Level in which extension officers described the technical terms like the names of pests and diseases. Tanzania Meteorological Authority staff enriched the information with the weather-related terminologies and icons to accommodate community members who cannot read letters. The representatives of farmers from different wards attended the meeting of the second stage to agree on local terms between one geographical location to another.

The training marks an important first step for farmers to understand how cropping calendars work, why they matter, and how they can be used to reduce risks, protect harvests, and improve food security. After the calendars are finalized, they will be distributed in the villages to inform the decision-making processes.

District officials praised the initiative, noting that it equips communities with tools to prepare for erratic rainfall and other climate-related stresses. For many farmers, the training offered both knowledge and hope. “Even if the rains confuse us, at least we will have a guide to follow,” shared another participant.

By investing in community-led solutions like cropping calendars, together with the use of the web-based climate services SMS system, used to disseminate localized climate services to smallholders in Dodoma, CAN Tanzania is laying the groundwork for more resilient rural livelihoods. The initiatives have just started in Kongwa with the expectation to scale the achievements in other districts.