Impacts of Elephants Disturbances on Local Community: A Case Study of Sitalike Village Near Katavi National Park

Crop production is the principal economic activity in the local community surrounding Katavi National park. Elephant’s raids upon these crops are thought to be key constraints on income generation. This project made the first quantitative assessment of this problems .therefore this project addresses those impacts of Elephants disturbances to the local communities.Purposefully sampling were used  in selecting a selected village Sitalike village and   random  sampling method was used for selecting the sample households(respondents) .A total sample of 32 households were interviewed in this study. The structured questionnaire and discussions were used to get information relevant to the study. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage were used to accomplish the objective and presentation of results of the study.Farmer perceptions on Elephants which induce disturbances and raids their crops were heavily influenced by farmer‘s ability to defend themselves. Common animals such as Rodents, Birds and cattle caused considerable crop damage but were not quantified in this study. Variations in crop damage were evident and are potentially related to distance of a village from the park boundaries, Elephants distribution and their movement patterns.This study documented the existence of Elephant’s disturbances in Sitalike village and has demonstrated that local community are willing and able to collaborate with any authority to address this problems .However multi year study is needed to allow a full assessment of the temporal and spatial patterns by this one year study. And assessment of the causal factors will allow the implementation of effective mitigation measures Key word: Disturbances, Conservatio

Use of Weather and Climate Information in Decisions on Conservation of Water Resources in Kilombero River Catchment, Tanzania

The authors thankfully acknowledge the financial support from Uncertainty Reduction in Models for Understanding Development Applications (UMFULA) Project under the Future Climate for Africa (FCFA). Special thanks go to Declan Conway (London School of Economics and Political Science) who contributed invaluable inputs to the publication. Abstract This study assessed the use of climate information in decisions on the conservation of water resources and determined influencing factors in Kilombero River Catchment in Tanzania. A cross-sectional research design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to select Kilombero, Ulanga and Malinyi districts and Lumemo, Nakafulu and Biro villages while simple random sampling was used to select respondents. A total of 120 household respondents were interviewed in the three villages. In addition, 7 Key Informants’ Interviews (KIIs) involving officers from Kilombero Game Controlled Area (KGCA) and Rufiji Basin Water Board (RBWB) and 3 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with the villagers were conducted. Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and STATA computer programs while qualitative information was analyzed using content analysis. Results show nearly half of respondents of weather and climate information in decisions to conserve water resources. Although ten decisions were identified in the area, weather and climate information was highly used in deciding conservation measures (X2=5.992, p<0.05), construction of small pans or bore holes for water storage (X2=6.580, <0.05) and reducing the number of livestock (X2=5.889, p<0.05). Four variables which had significant and positive correlation with conservation of water resources were identified. Foremost among them is extension visits (ß=0.079; p<0.01) which implied access and frequency of extension visits influence use of weather and climate information in making decisions. It is concluded that communities in the area use weather and climate information in decisions which conserve water resources.  Policy makers are advised to emphasize factors which had positive significant correlation with conservation of water resources. Keywords: Climate Information Use, Water Conservation Decisions. DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-4-06 Publication date: April 30th 202

Barriers to and opportunities for improving productivity and profitability of the Kiwere and Magozi irrigation schemes in Tanzania

Irrigation is a key strategy for food security and poverty alleviation among small farmers in Tanzania. However, the potential of irrigation to improve food security is limited by multiple barriers. This article discusses these barriers within the Kiwere and Magozi schemes. Results indicate that water supply barriers are caused by poor irrigation infrastructure and management. Lack of finance is also a critical barrier to increasing overall productivity. Finance affects farmers’ timely access to adequate supply of quality inputs and machinery and availability of transport to access inputs and profitable markets. There is evidence that these barriers have to be addressed holistically

THE EFFECT OF AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION ON ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AROUND IHEMI CLUSTER

As the world population continue to increase, the demand for food also increases which necessitate the need for agricultural intensification. Agricultural intensification affects large parts of terrestrial area, therefore, assessment of its contribution to the decrease of ecosystem services is critical for successful conservation in the future. A study was conducted in five districts of Iringa and Njombe Regions, part of Ihemi cluster, to assess the effects of agricultural intensification on ecosystem services.  A total of 607 household surveys and 19 Focus Groups discussions were conducted. Descriptive and cross tabulation were used for quantitative analysis while content analysis was used for qualitative data. Findings reveal that there are several benefits communities get from the ecosystem that play a great role on their livelihood. Across all villages, firewood is preferred due to its affordability and availability. Other ecosystems goods such as traditional medicine and mushrooms are hardly available due to clearing of land for agricultural activities, as well as settlement expansion.  Community activities, such as valley bottom farming was mentioned as a practice that jeopardize the long-term sustainability of ecosystem resources within the Cluster. Agricultural intensification by investors was also mentioned as a sources of ecosystem depletion. Sustainable agricultural intensification, if adopted, might be one among the solutions to serve the ecosystem around the cluster

Water conservation can reduce future water-energy-food-environment trade-offs in a medium-sized African river basin

The need for achieving efficient and sustainable use of water resources is pressing, however, this often requires better understanding of the potential of water conservation, taking into account the impact on return flows, and the costs in relation to sectoral benefits. Using modelling and limited observational data we explore the costs and potential water savings of 24 combinations of water conservation measures in the Rufiji basin, Tanzania. We compare these costs with estimates of the value such water savings could generate from water use in three important economic sectors; agriculture, energy and downstream ecosystems with high tourism potential. The cost of water conservation measures (median: 0.07 USD m−3) is found to be: higher than the value of most uses of water for agriculture (growing crops in expanded irrigation sites) and the median value for hydropower generation (from a new mega dam currently under construction); and lower than the ecosystem value. Nevertheless, under our modelling assumptions, the volume of additional water required to supply planned irrigation expansion in the basin could be reduced by 1.5 BCM using water conservation methods that would be financially viable, given the value of competing uses of water. Water savings of this magnitude would reduce potential trade-offs between use of water for hydropower and ecosystem services, by allowing peak environmental flow releases even in dry years, and without reducing firm energy generation. This methodology is transferable and relevant for producing realistic assessments of the financial incentives for long-term sustainable water use in agriculture, given incentives for other uses. With most reservoirs now being built for multiple purposes improved understanding of trade-offs between different sectors and functions is needed

Use of a hydrological model for environmental management of the Usangu Wetlands, Tanzania

Wetlands / Rivers / Ecology / Environmental effects / Remote sensing / Hydrology / Simulation models / Water budget / Irrigated sites / Land cover / Time series analysis / Tanzania / Usangu Wetlands / Great Ruaha River

Gendered Access and Control Over Land and Water Resources in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania

This paper assessed the gendered access and control over land and water, using the Ihemi cluster of the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) as a study area. Specifically, the paper answered the question on how decisions are made between men and women over land and water in the SAGCOT area, as well as how access and control over land and water is conducted. Data for this paper was drawn from the baseline study which was conducted for the project known as Laying Foundation for Effective Landscape-level Planning for Sustainable Development (LiFELand). A cross-sectional research design was used, whereby a questionnaire was administered to 167 women and 440 men. In addition, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were also conducted to complement and allow triangulation of data. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively; while, qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. In general, the results show that female headed households accounted for more than a quarter of the surveyed households; the number was slightly higher in the Njombe region. Results further show that women had no control over land and water as important productive resources in rural areas. The results also show that a larger proportion of both men and women had no right of occupancy over the land they owned hence their inability to use it as collateral in accessing loans from formal financial institutions. The paper therefore recommends efforts be made to empower women, hence enabling them to actively participate in decision-making, particularly regarding land and water. Equitable decision-making power can immensely enhance ecosystem conservation and sustainable utilization over land and water as women are the major actors in agriculture. To achieve gender equality there is a need for awareness creation for both men and women using gender sensitive programs that will allow not only equality in use but a sustainable utilization of Land and Water as important natural resources in the SAGCOT (Southern Agriculture Growth Corridor) areas

Ecosystem health and sustainable agricultural development in Ihemi cluster

Agricultural landscape provide a range of ecosystem services apart from producing crops. However, the inter-linkage of the ecosystem services and agricultural activities is poorly understood. For over 50 years, agriculture has been conducted without considering the natural ecological processes that safeguard agricultural production in the long run. To ensure that agricultural systems are sustainable, we have to make sure that the crucial ecosystem functions in the natural landscape are protected. Agricultural intensification, dramatic land use changes, application of agrochemicals and intensification of resource utilization are among the factors contributing towards biodiversity loss. The process of agricultural intensification is associated with an increase in labour inputs, increase use of natural and artificial fertilizer, use of improved seeds, change in technologies, change in agricultural mechanization & frequency of cultivation, changes to the landscape such as irrigation or soil conservation measures. The agricultural inputs, for instance, have altered the key-hydrological processes of rivers, lakes, floodplains and groundwater-fed wetlands, damaging their ecosystems and services that they provide. Agricultural intensification affects large parts of terrestrial area, therefore, assessment of its contribution to biodiversity loss is critical for successful conservation in the future. Irrigation, clearance of natural vegetation, and the construction of water storage facilities have all altered the timing and natural variability of water flows, damaging ground water recharge and wetland areas. It is claimed that agriculture in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) is developed in harmony with the natura

Assessing river basin development given water-energy-food-environment interdependencies

Many river basins in the Global South are undergoing rapid development with major implications for the interdependent water-energy-food-environmental (WEFE) ‘nexus’ sectors. A range of views on the extent to which such natural-human systems should be developed typically exist. The perceived best investments in river basins depend on how one frames the planning problem. Therefore, we propose an approach where the best possible (optimised) implementations of different river basin development scenarios are assessed by comparing their WEFE sector trade-offs. We apply the approach to Tanzania’s river basin, an area with multiple WEFE interdependencies and high development potential (irrigation and hydropower) and ecosystem services. Performance indicators are identified through stakeholder consultation and describe WEFE sector response under scenarios of river basin development. Results show considerable potential exists for energy and irrigation expansion. Designs that prioritise energy production adversely affect environmental performance, however, part of the negative impacts can be minimised through release rules designed to replicate the natural variability of flow. The reliability of monthly energy generation is more sensitive to environmental-oriented management than the cumulative annual energy production. Overall results highlight how sectoral trade-offs change depending on the extent of development, something that may be difficult to regulate in the future, and that there are important basin-scale interdependencies. Benefits and limitations of the approach and its application are discussed