Urban Poverty & Climate Change in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Table 9: Major problems faced by communities in the study area
Ranked Problems
Climate
related?
No. of respondents who
identified this threat
64
% of respondents
Floods Yes 109 25.7
Diseases Yes 97 22.9
Heat/Increased temperature Yes 33 7.8
Mosquitoes Yes 25 5.9
Theft 25 5.9
Shortage of water Yes 19 4.5
Environmental pollution Yes 17 4.0
Bad smell in the area Yes 16 3.8
Crude garbage disposal 15 3.5
Drought Yes 13 3.1
Dirty unsafe water Yes 11 2.6
Off-plot sludge disposal Yes 10 2.4
Noise 7 1.7
Poor infrastructure 7 1.7
Poor social services 5 1.2
Lack of roads 4 0.9
Mud Yes 4 0.9
Hunger Yes 3 0.7
Increased flies Yes 2 0.5
Dust Yes 1 0.2
Inflation 1 0.2
Total households 424 100.0
Source: University of Dar es Salaam, Case Study Team (2010)
Floods and diseases were identified as significant problems by over a fifth of the respondents
interviewed. Other problems that rainfall and humidity can have significant impact on include
mosquito presence, pollution and strong odors in the neighborhood, unsafe drinking water,
mud, and flies. High temperatures, too, were identified as a problem and can increase
decomposition rates and heat stress, while drought affects water quantity and quality, dust
levels, and hunger.
As climate continues to change, increased rainfall variability, resulting in heavier and/or more
frequent flooding, as well as the possibility of higher temperatures and more frequent
drought, would greatly exacerbate the existing vulnerabilities identified. City and community
measures to reduce existing vulnerability are crucial in building resilience towards future
climatic changes.
4.3 Projected impacts of climate change in Dar es Salaam
A range of possible impacts of climate change could aggravate the vulnerability of Dar es
Salaam’s urban poor. Climate change is likely to increase rainfall intensity in Dar es Salaam
and thus worsen flooding. A rise in sea level would exacerbate ongoing coastal erosion and
degradation. Coastal storms could become more intense and be accompanied by greater storm
surges than at present, placing coastal communities at greater risk. Increased temperature
could raise humidity levels in rainy seasons, with adverse implications in terms of pest and