As the climate crisis persists, there is a crucial need to increase knowledge on adaptive capacity and the underlying factors building it. This is particularly important for disadvantaged groups, such as coastal women in East Africa. Women’s livelihoods in these seascapes are and will be more severely affected by climate change and the capacity of East African states to deal with these challenges is limited in terms of financial and human capital. In this research, we investigated the underlying factors building the adaptive capacity of coastal women in Zanzibar (Unguja Island), Tanzania. Coastal women (N=117) were interviewed in villages around the island to gather information about potential factors supporting adaptive capacity. This was analysed applying Cinner et al (2018) five domains typology for adaptive capacity, i.e. assets, flexibility, organizations, learning and agency. The results show that women had relatively low adaptive capacity, extended poverty and very high dependence on seaweed farming of red algae, a livelihood providing low income and already being seriously affected by climate variability and change. Women’s observations of key variables related to environmental changes corresponded to most scientific findings. It was, however, unclear how that knowledge is useful and enhances adaptive capacity. Adaptive capacity was generally low but individual differences were found in which ten women had a high income. The results show that the factors underlying adaptive capacity are complex and interact with each other, being positive, negative and unclear. Many of the identified factors deserve future research. This study adds to the pool of knowledge by addressing women (not only men); coastal ecosystems (as land and freshwater systems are more studied) and the individual level (since most studies focus on national and community levels). The study illustrates that institutional renewal, bridging and cooperation is possible in Zanzibar bringing good news to the region.

随着气候危机的持续，迫切需要增加对适应能力和构建适应能力的潜在因素的了解。这对弱势群体尤其重要，例如东非的沿海妇女。这些海景中的妇女生计正在并将受到气候变化的更严重影响，而东非国家应对这些挑战的能力在财政和人力资本方面是有限的。在这项研究中，我们调查了建立坦桑尼亚桑给巴尔（安古贾岛）沿海妇女适应能力的潜在因素。在岛上的村庄采访了沿海妇女（N=117），以收集有关支持适应能力的潜在因素的信息。这是分析应用Cinner 等人 (2018)适应能力的五个领域类型，即资产、灵活性、组织、学习和代理。结果表明，女性的适应能力相对较低，贫困程度较深，并且非常依赖海藻养殖红藻，这种生计收入低，并且已经受到气候变化和变化的严重影响。女性对与环境变化相关的关键变量的观察符合大多数科学发现。然而，尚不清楚这些知识如何有用并增强适应能力。适应能力普遍较低，但发现有 10 名女性收入较高的个体差异。结果表明，适应能力的影响因素复杂且相互影响，具有积极、消极和不明确的特点。许多已确定的因素值得未来研究。这项研究通过针对女性（不仅是男性）增加了知识库；沿海生态系统（因为对土地和淡水系统的研究更多）和个人层面（因为大多数研究集中在国家和社区层面）。该研究表明，桑给巴尔可以进行机构更新、桥梁和合作，从而为该地区带来好消息。