Linkage between Environmental Conservation Practices and Household Food Security in the Bahi District, Tanzania

Background: In many semi-arid areas of Tanzania, such as the Bahi District, where agricultural output is greatly impacted by climate variability, household food security continues to be a major concern. These communities depend on rain-fed farming, leaving them vulnerable to unpredictable weather and poor soil fertility. Objective: This study investigated the current state of household food security and the contribution of environmental conservation practices (CP) to food security in the Bahi District. Methods: Study employed a mixed-methods approach integrating focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys with 224 respondents, general linear model (specifically regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between various factors such as soil and water conservation, pest control, and demographic variables and their influence on food utilization and overall food security. Result: The study in Tanzania’s Bahi District found that household food security remains a major issue due to climate variability with low dietary diversity (average HDDS of 2.54). However, environmental conservation practices significantly improved crop yields, and rice production nearly doubled and positively impacted food utilization and security. Conclusion: The study concludes that although demographic and socioeconomic variables also affect food availability, the results emphasize the important role that soil and water conservation play in enhancing food use and security. Unique contribution: To improve food security, including soil and water conservation, education, gender, and family size, while older age and poorly managed pest control negatively affected outcomes. The study highlights the importance of promoting sustainable conservation practices and supporting farmers to boost resilience and agricultural productivity. Key Recommendation: Policymakers should encourage sustainable conservation methods and provide older farmers with specialized assistance to improve their ability to adapt and increase agricultural output.