Towards Programs Sustainability: Assessment of Institutional Determinants for Effective Community Participation in Development Programs in Tanzania

This paper brings to the fore an assessment of institutional determinants for effective community participation in development programs for the case of Tanzania. It is highly acknowledged in various scholarly literature that there is a strong link between community participation and development programs.  In fact, literature shows that community-based development programs that have allowed community members to be fully involved in various programs have been successful when compared to those where community members are seen as spectators.However, in order for community members to take part in the programs, there are several determining factors, ranging from socio-economic, socio-cultural to institutional based factors.This study therefore sought to assess institutional determinants with the aim of identifying the major institutional determinants capable of influencing effective community participation in development programs. The study used four programs that were categorized as Locally Funded, Government Funded, Donor Funded and Joint Funded development programs. A combined sample size of 316 participants from all the four programs was employed. Collected data were analyzed through the within-case analysis and the comparative analysis approaches.Results of the study revealed that program benefits, objectives and leadership were the major institutional determinants for promoting effective community participation in development programs. when compared to methods used in the other three examined programs. Hence, the study concluded by emphasizing on the need to ensure these institutional based factors (program benefits, objectives and leadership) should always be given due attention in any development program.

Towards Programs Sustainability: An Empirical Analysis of the Socio-Cultural Determinants for Effective Community Participation in Development Programs in Tanzania

The link between participation and development programs is embedded in the concept of participatory development. As such, there is no doubt that community participation has indeed been a constant theme in development dialogues for the past 50 years. This shows how important the concept of community participation continues to stand out as one of those key catalysts for successful implementation of development programs such that they remain sustainable.On account of this perception, this paper therefore set out to explore socio-cultural determinants for effective community participation in development programs in the context of Tanzania. Precisely, the paper posits that in order to achieve program sustainability, effective community participation in such programs is of paramount importance. Hence the need to ensure that any factors that have the potential to influence the extent of peoples’ participation in development programs need to be well responded to and addressed. In light of this view, this paper therefore looked into the socio-cultural factors or determinants so as to establish what could be the key socio-cultural factors for influencing effective community participation in development programs. Keywords: Sustainability, Development Programs, Program Sustainability, Community Participation, Socio-cultural determinants DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-18-03 Publication date:September 30th 202

Wastewater treatment for reuse in urban agriculture; the case of Moshi Municipality, Tanzania

This research article was published by Pergamon in 2014Urban agriculture is practiced by dwellers as an adaptive response to improve their food security, household income, create informal employment and diversify their livelihood through sales of surplus produce or savings. People in many cities, who practice urban agriculture, are in most cases unemployed and poor and are faced with water shortages to irrigate their crops. But treated wastewater can offer both water and nutrients needed for crop growth partly covering the water shortage already experienced. Therefore in this case, wastewater reuse becomes one of the important alternative ways to provide water for irrigation. The objective of this study was to monitor the effluent quality of the waste stabilization pond (WSP) and a combined WSP-constructed wetland (WSP-CW) treatment systems, assess its suitability for irrigation purposes and understand the public perception on the use of the treated effluent for agricultural production. This paper brings out the experience of the Moshi urban water authority in wastewater treatment and reuse for irrigation purposes. It looks on the quality of effluent from the two systems under their current operational regime and deduces the public health and socio economic implications. The results indicates the recorded TDS mean values of 587 mg/L and 627 mg/L, Nitrate–Nitrogen values of 9.19 mg/L and 2.35 mg/L, Fecal Coliform values of 1000 counts per 100 mL and 4626 counts per 100 mL, COD values of 159 mg O2/L and 149 mg O2/L for the WSP and WSP-CW effluents respectively. From the findings it has been shown that the treated effluent is suitable for restricted irrigation. It has also been shown that when improperly practiced, the use of the effluent is associated with public health risk to the workers who handle it, but despite this fact there is still some positive social economic implications. The community members who practice irrigated agriculture using the effluent as irrigation water have positive attitude on its use. The findings from this case study, is considered as an important learning in establishing an optimal wastewater treatment configuration to render suitable effluent for irrigation purposes

Assessing urban fire risk in the central business district of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Buildings as infrastructure along with people’s lives need protection against fire outbreaks. Knowledge on the use of installed facilities is essential in tackling There emergencies, otherwise their installation becomes meaningless. Lack of such knowledge could hamper escape from There hazards and thwart attempts to contain there outbreaks at their preliminary stage. THis study, carried out in the Central Business District of Dar es Salaam City, assessed urban there risk with respect to public awareness on the use of #re #ghting facilities and preparedness in the event of #re outbreaks. Public buildings with at least four storeys or 2000m2 floor space were surveyed. According to the Fire and Rescue Act of 2007, such buildings have to be provided with adequate means of escape and #re #ghting facilities. Data was collected through observation and interviews with building managers, users and key informants. The study revealed high there disaster risk in most buildings of the study area, as 60% of the buildings’ users do not know how to operate the facilities, and 41% are not aware of the available escape means in case of there outbreak. Worse still, only 29% had received training within the past five years, and 68% had never been trained

Tracking Materials with Low Phosphorus Adsorption for Use in Constructed Wetland Aiming at Wastewater Treatment for Irrigation Purposes

Wastewater is well known to contain significant amounts of essential crop nutrients including Phosphorus (P). Therefore, in the light of water reuse, nutrients available in wastewater need to be retained to serve as alternative source of plant nutrients for the crops to be irrigated by the effluent. P-adsorption experiments of four selected locally available substrate materials (dolomite marble, andesite, basalt and scoria) were conducted in laboratory. The aim of the study was to characterize the material and determine their P-Adsorption capacity, deduce their suitability for use as substrate material for constructed wetland aiming to treat wastewater for reuse in irrigation. It also aimed at establishing the baseline information for the available materials in Arusha. The chemical composition of each of the materials was determined using the XRF analysis method, and the P-adsorption capacity of each material was determined by studying the removal rates at different known P-concentrations (5, 10, 20 and 50). Highest P-adsorption capacity was observed in dolomite marble (99-100%) and lowest in andesite (40-46%). It is therefore concluded that with the aim of retaining phosphorus in the final effluent andesite, should be selected as a suitable substrate material for constructed wetland systems

Solid waste management regulation in the informal settlements: A social-ecological context from Kampala city, Uganda

So far, literature on solid waste management regulation in the informal settlements of Sub-Saharan African cities has yet to enlist the social-ecological context. To examine this context, we employ a mixed methods approach to collect data on waste management regulations and practices in the Makindye informal settlements. Our study reveals that multiple waste management practices are conducted simultaneously by households. Poor socio-economic status, spatial challenges and ignorance of regulations determine undesirable waste management practices such as open dumping and burning. Desirable practices such as waste sorting or recycling are neither merely practiced for monetary gain nor in observance of regulation. Practices, whether desirable or not, are acquired through interactions in the community, where formal rules, as well as informal ones, are at play. Notably, most residents are unaware of waste management regulations for Kampala city or their community. Thus, some residents engage in illegal waste management practices without the inclination to commit an offense, while others adopt "community malpractices". However, residents are relatively more aware of informal rules than formal ones confirming the role of socialization. We argue that practices are not by instinct; therefore, while regulations shape values and norms, the reverse should also be true. Since residents are unaware of prevalent formal rules, we conclude that policymakers and enforcers may not have effectively socialized residents on regulatory instruments to transform undesired values and norms. Consequently, values and norms at the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels have influenced behaviors more than policies enforced by the government. Thus, sensitization initiatives should focus on socialization structures if responsive behaviors that conform to guidelines for better waste management practices are to be promoted in the informal settlements of Sub-Saharan African cities

Fire disaster preparedness and situational analysis in higher learning institutions of Tanzania

Fire disasters are accompanied with devastating impact affecting both lives and properties. The magnitude of the impacts has been severe in places with low levels of fire disaster preparedness. A study was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to investigate the level of fire disaster preparedness considering the availability and condition of firefighting facilities as well as the knowledge on fire management among the selected 10 higher learning institutions. Information for the buildings was obtained from the interviews with the managers of the buildings and field observations; information on the user’s preparedness was obtained from interviews using structured questionnaire conducted with the users of the buildings including the visitors. Results from the studied buildings indicated that 60% of the firefighting facilities were not regularly serviced; 50% stored some hazardous materials; 70% of them had not enough water storage for firefighting purposes; 60% had no identifiable fire assembly points; and 90% of the sessions conducted in the buildings involved more than 100 people in a single venue. Further results indicated that 51% of the respondents were not able to operate the installed firefighting facilities; 80.7% of the respondents had never received any training on firefighting and prevention; 95.6% of the respondents had never participated in any fire drills; and 81.5% of them were not aware of the fire responder’s contacts. General situation indicated that higher learning institutions are not well prepared to manage fire outbreaks suggesting that plans to rectify the situation are imperative

Development of a cost-benefit analysis approach for water reuse in irrigation

Research Articles published by Science Publishing GroupWater reuse is one of the alternatives to counteract the already experienced water shortages. However water reuse as any other investment is associated with costs. This article looks at water reuse for irrigation as one of the areas that has recently gained attention. However, water reuse requires a prior installation of wastewater treatment and the irrigation systems of which all requires financial resources. Analysis of the costs and benefits of water reuse remains one of the key tools for decision making. Unfortunately there has been no universal way for doing cost benefit analysis that can fit all reuse applications and the local settings. The objective of this study was to customize the existing water reuse cost benefit analysis methods and develop cost benefit analysis for water reuse in irrigation. The net benefit value approach was studied, examined and modified to incorporate all the relevant cost items and benefits associated with water reuse in irrigation. Based on the approach developed a discussion have been made whereby it was evident that the main cost elements for water reuse in irrigation are those associated with land for installations, the treatment plant and the irrigation systems involving their installations, operation and maintenance. On the other hand it has been shown that the main elements for benefits are related to natural resources recovered, improved agricultural production and the environmental benefits

A review of the challenges and opportunities for water reuse in irrigation with a focus on its prospects in Tanzania

Research Article published by Int. J. Environmental Engineering, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2015Water reuse is one of the potential ways to complement the existing portable water sources. Its adoption is becoming of interest due to water shortages in many parts of the world. Its implementation is supported by several benefits though it has challenges as well. This paper provides a review of practice of the water reuse for irrigation in the world and focuses on its potentiality in Tanzania with a highlight on the water supply and wastewater treatment situation in the country. The challenges that need to be addressed, the benefits expected and global wastewater treatment options, capital and operation costs as well as the cost benefit analysis have been pointed out. Some arguments to justify a shift to water reuse in irrigation has been given. Lastly, it has been shown that full implementation of water reuse will require among other things, proper defined policy and institutional framework, clear guidelines as well as more research and investment on wastewater treatment

Towards Programs Sustainability: Assessment of Institutional Determinants for Effective Community Participation in Development Programs in Tanzania

This paper brings to the fore an assessment of institutional determinants for effective community participation in development programs for the case of Tanzania. It is highly acknowledged in various scholarly literature that there is a strong link between community participation and development programs.  In fact, literature shows that community-based development programs that have allowed community members to be fully involved in various programs have been successful when compared to those where community members are seen as spectators.However, in order for community members to take part in the programs, there are several determining factors, ranging from socio-economic, socio-cultural to institutional based factors.This study therefore sought to assess institutional determinants with the aim of identifying the major institutional determinants capable of influencing effective community participation in development programs. The study used four programs that were categorized as Locally Funded, Government Funded, Donor Funded and Joint Funded development programs. A combined sample size of 316 participants from all the four programs was employed. Collected data were analyzed through the within-case analysis and the comparative analysis approaches.Results of the study revealed that program benefits, objectives and leadership were the major institutional determinants for promoting effective community participation in development programs. when compared to methods used in the other three examined programs. Hence, the study concluded by emphasizing on the need to ensure these institutional based factors (program benefits, objectives and leadership) should always be given due attention in any development program.