Smart coping, strong resilience: behavioral drivers of climate stability among motorcycle taxi workers in Tanzania

This study examines how financially prudent coping strategies influence climate resilience among motorcycle taxi (boda-boda) riders in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and whether micro-insurance strengthens this relationship. Using primary survey data from 400 riders, the study applies Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), quantile regression, and interaction models to assess the effects of smart coping, defined as savings-based and financially prudent responses to weather-related income shocks, on climate resilience. The findings show that smart coping is positively and significantly associated with climate resilience, with the strongest relationship observed among riders in the middle of the resilience distribution. Micro-insurance is also positively associated with resilience, while its interaction with smart coping indicates that riders who combine prudent coping strategies with insurance protection achieve greater resilience. These findings highlight the importance of combining behavioral and financial protection mechanisms in strengthening the capacity of informal workers to withstand climate-related income shocks. The study therefore recommends promoting savings-based coping practices, expanding access to affordable micro-insurance, and integrating these measures into climate-resilience interventions for informal transport workers.