Tanzania Farmers Push for Water Harvesting After COP30

Farmers in Tanzania's Dodoma Region are turning international climate promises into practical demands that could transform their drought-prone fields into reliable sources of food and income.

Following Tanzania's pledge of $20 million at the COP30 climate conference in Brazil last November, farmers are asking their government to invest those funds in two specific solutions: rainwater harvesting infrastructure and agricultural insurance. These aren't abstract requests but survival strategies shaped by years of watching crops wither under unpredictable skies.

Samwel Mlugu, a farmer from Bahi District, explained the daily reality behind the appeal. His harvests regularly fall short because rainfall has become unreliable, leaving his family vulnerable during dry seasons.

"We are appealing to the government to channel COP funds into rainwater harvesting projects, which will greatly support us during dry seasons," Mlugu said. The solution he's proposing would capture rain when it does fall, storing it for irrigation during the long stretches without precipitation.

Fellow farmer Agustino Ndonuu focused on the insurance piece of the puzzle. He wants a system that prevents farmers from losing everything when climate shocks destroy their crops, but he emphasized it must be implemented fairly through official channels working with agricultural extension officers.

"Agricultural insurance will help us recover from losses," Ndonuu explained, stressing that proper registration systems would ensure the program actually reaches the farmers who need it most.

The farmers' requests align with scientific recommendations from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC has identified water storage infrastructure as urgent for semi-arid regions like Dodoma, calling rainwater harvesting a key strategy for strengthening agricultural resilience in rain-dependent economies.

The Ripple Effect

What makes this story powerful isn't just the farmers' clear vision for climate adaptation. It's their active participation in shaping how international climate funding gets used on the ground.

Instead of waiting passively for help, these agricultural communities are translating billion-dollar pledges into concrete projects that could stabilize food production across the region. When farmers have reliable water and financial safety nets, entire communities benefit through stable food supplies, sustained incomes, and economic security that ripples through local markets.

Their advocacy shows climate action working from the bottom up, with the people most affected by climate change leading the conversation about solutions.

Tanzania now has both the funding and a clear roadmap from the communities who know exactly what they need to build climate resilience into their farms and futures.