Exploring local knowledge and perceptions on zoonoses among pastoralists in northern and eastern Tanzania

Background: Zoonoses account for the most commonly reported emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is limited knowledge on how pastoral communities perceive zoonoses in relation to their livelihoods, culture and their wider ecology. This study was carried out to explore local knowledge and perceptions on zoonoses among pastoralists in Tanzania. Methodology and principal findings: This study involved pastoralists in Ngorongoro district in northern Tanzania and Kibaha and Bagamoyo districts in eastern Tanzania. Qualitative methods of focus group discussions, participatory epidemiology and interviews were used. A total of 223 people were involved in the study. Among the pastoralists, there was no specific term in their local language that describes zoonosis. Pastoralists from northern Tanzania possessed a higher understanding on the existence of a number of zoonoses than their eastern districts' counterparts. Understanding of zoonoses could be categorized into two broad groups: a local syndromic framework, whereby specific symptoms of a particular illness in humans concurred with symptoms in animals, and the biomedical framework, where a case definition is supported by diagnostic tests. Some pastoralists understand the possibility of some infections that could cross over to humans from animals but harm from these are generally tolerated and are not considered as threats. A number of social and cultural practices aimed at maintaining specific cultural functions including social cohesion and rites of passage involve animal products, which present zoonotic risk. Conclusions: These findings show how zoonoses are locally understood, and how epidemiology and biomedicine are shaping pastoralists perceptions to zoonoses. Evidence is needed to understand better the true burden and impact of zoonoses in these communities. More studies are needed that seek to clarify the common understanding of zoonoses that could be used to guide effective and locally relevant interventions. Such studies should consider in their approaches the pastoralists' wider social, cultural and economic set up

The influence of altitude and management on carbon stock quantities in rungwe forest, southern highland of Tanzania

A study was conducted to assess the impacts of elevation, tree species and management on car- bon stock on the slopes of Rungwe Mountain in Tanzania. Twenty 15 m radius plots with trees of DBH >10 cm were used to collect trees meas- urements as well as soil samples at depths of 10 cm, 20 cm and 30 cm. Tree data collected were calculated and analyzed for tree biomass and carbon by using the Tree Biomass Equations (TBE) while soil samples were analyzed for total soil carbon using oxidative reduction method in which soils were combusted at about 600°C in a muffle furnace to released CO2 and SO2 gases carried by the oxygen flow into cells. The results showed that aboveground carbon content in- creased with altitude ranging from 9.2 t/ha at 2031 m to 561.7 t/ha at 2312 m.a.s.l due to little forest disturbance at high altitudes. However, the trend changed drastically at 2312 m.a.s.l. Soil carbon content tended to increase down the slope ranging from 3.8 t/ha at 2.312 to 4.7 t/ha at 2031 m.a.s.l, respectively. In general, there is limited awareness on sustainable management of forest resource in the study area. It is neces- sary to empower local communities to monitor and manage their forest resources so that they can contribute to climate change mitigation and income generation through carbon trade under REDD initiative.This article is available at http://www.scirp.org/journal/oje

Economic value of agricultural land for community livelihoods within the context of REDD+

A study was carried out in two villages of Mughunga and Pohama in Singida Rural District, central Tanzania, to assess the economic value of agricultural land for community livelihoods within the context of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). Market price valuation method was used to assess the economic value of agricultural land. Findings showed that a good number of people in both villages depend on agriculture (96.4%) and livestock keeping (90.1%) for their livelihoods. The economic value of agriculture land was revealed to be 35,871,750 and 49,259,382Tsh per acre for Mughunga and Pohama villages respectively, with high contribution from sunflower, followed by sorghum and maize crops. The study results revealed lower economic value, mainly of food crops such as maize and bulrush millet. This implicates changes in the agricultural land as these crops were valued high in the past. The major reasons for such changes include decline in agricultural production and increased pressure for land resources. For sustainability of agricultural land in the study area, efforts need to be scaled up towards conservation of agricultural land by all parties, that is, communities, government and private entities.Available at www.sciencedomain.orgClimate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) Programme funded through the Norwegian embassy in Tanzani

Exploring opportunities for climate change adaptation in semi arid areas of Tanzania: A case of Nzega District in Tabora region

Climate change and associated impacts are now widely acknowledged by most communities, institutions and organizations in the World to be affecting people’s livelihoods. The University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania through the Institute of Resource Assessment (IRA) implemented a three years research program to study the implications of climate change on natural and social systems in three agro ecolocilal zones in Tanzania. The present paper presents finding obtained from one of the zones studied namely semi arid central and western part. The study was conducted in two villages namely Upungwe and Mbogwe located in Nzega District, Tabora region. A sample size of 99 people; that is, 10% of the total number of households was used for household interviews. A total of 40 people strategically selected were involved in focus group discussion, 20 from each village. Findings show that different ethnic groups have moved into villages in response to climate change impacts in their areas of origin. Climate change impacts in particular increased pests associated with temper rise and resulted in loss on various crop yields ranging from 46 to 80%. Most crops affected are in the order cotton, rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, groundnuts and maize, respectively. Different adaptation options were also reported but the most important was found to be different forms of linkages such as ruralurban reported to be more viable by 39 to 68% of respondents while 48 to 62% reported such linkages to be viable on adaptation. To strengthen adaptation rural-urban, urban-rural and rural-rural linkages needs to be facilitated so that products and information can flow from all ends.PITRO-UDSM progra

Vulnerability and adaptation of rain fed agriculture to climate change and variability in semi-arid Tanzania

A vulnerability assessment of rain fed agriculture to climate change and variability in semi-arid parts of Tabora Region in Tanzania was conducted in 2009. Four village clusters were selected out of which, three villages represent Millennium Villages Program (MVP) namely Mbola, Mpenge and Isila from Uyui District. One village namely Tumbi from Tabora Urban bordering the MVP was also selected. Both primary and secondary data were collected using different methods including structured questionnaire interviews, focus group discussion, documentary review and field observations. Structured questionnaire interviews were administered to 7% of all farmers selected at random from the four villages and 30 research and extension officers obtained through accidental purposeful sampling. Simple regression and t-test analyses of numeric data for rainfall and temperature collected over the last 35 growing seasons were performed using Microsoft Excel and Statistical Analysis System respectively. Non-numeric data were coded, summarized and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences spreadsheet. Results indicate that the overall rainfall amount was found to decline while distribution was varying both in time and space. Inter-seasonal dry spells between January and February appeared to increase both in duration and frequency. Temperature has shown an increasing trend. Minimum temperature increased faster (R2 = 0.68, p<0.001) while maximum temperature increased gradually (R2 = 0.24, p<0.01). Farmers, research and extension officers also perceived these changes by the help of a series of indicators. Nevertheless, perception on the climate change indicators varied depending on the type of livelihood activity most affected. Major implications on rain fed agriculture are possible shrinking of the growing season, increasing moisture and heat stress to common food and cash crops, increased insects and pests and eventually low income and food insecurity. This study concludes that there is strong evidence demonstrating the vulnerability of rain fed agriculture to negative impacts of climate change and variability in the study area. It is suggested that there is a need for multi-level interventions on adaptation to climate change and variability taking into account a wide range of stakeholder involvement.Climate Change Adaptation for Africa (CCAA)

Toward a Tanzanian observatory of climate-environment interactions in southern Tanzania (Lake Masoko, Rungwe District)

Progress report of the climate-environment hamn interactions in Africa Tanzanian French partnership (CLEHA and RESOLVE projects)18 pp

Implications of present and future landcover change on small holder agriculture within the context of REDD+ in Tanzania: a case of Mgori forests in Singida rural District

Mgori forest is located in Singida Rural district and is under Community Based Forest Management (CBFM). The forest has maintained its forest status and in general has demonstrated its potential for Reduced Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation and conservation (REDD+) implementation because; i) communities living adjacent to these forest have experience on forest management practices; iii), have realized benefits from the forest including climate change mitigation and iv) they have willingness to conserve the forests and have very high expectations to get benefit in terms of financial emanating from carbon trade. The present study investigated the present and future land use and cover changes for years 2020, 2030 up to 2040. A cross tabulation analysis method was used to detect and explain changes, while future land and cover change was established using Markov Chain-Cellular automata analysis. The state of land cover at time 2 was predicted by observing a state of land cover at time 1 using a matrix of transition probabilities from one land cover to every other land cover. Findings in Mgori forest predictions showed that cultivated, bushland and thickets land covers will increase by 2020 and thereafter remain constant while woodlands will decrease by 2020 and then remain constant. It can therefore be concluded that for areas already under CBFM what is required under REDD+ is to improve the management of agricultural land to sustain productivity as the room for much expansion of land is not warranted. This can be achieved through capacity building to farmers and other agricultural stakeholders through their local agricultural innovation systems.Available in the Proceedings of the International Conference on Reducing Climate Change Challenges through Forestry and Other Land Use PracticesClimate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) Programme funded through the Norwegian embassy in Tanzani

REVIEW OF CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION IN AGRICULTURE IN TANZANIA

This report assesses and identified policies, strategies and initiatives led by the Tanzanian government towards addressing the impact of climate change in agriculture. Supporting 80% of the population, agriculture is still the main stay of the economy, and hence any negative impact originating from climate change to this sector has significant effect to the country economy and community livelihoods. The commitments of the Tanzanian government towards combating climate change at national, international and local level have been exemplary. Furthermore, due to less mechanized form of agriculture which also a rainfed, less input in terms of inorganic fertilizer and chemical pesticides, the country is still contributing less to the emission of the greenhouse gases (GHG). GHGs emission in Tanzania is reported mainly to be from land use change and forestry by 87.33%, energy and agriculture ranking second and third by contribution 6.39% and 5.68% respectively. This information gives an impression that despite less emission of GHGs in agriculture compared to other sectors, special attention needs to be paid on soil and livestock in order to reduce the emission from agriculture. The expected growth in agricultural sector may trigger acceleration of GHGs emission which might surpass other sectors, currently the conversion of natural forests and woodlands into agricultural fields is at alarming rate, the current rate of deforestation that have been reported by the government stands at 400,000 ha/year, agricultural sector is said to be the key contributor of deforestation. The REDD+ readiness phase is the most significant mitigation program, the readiness phase has been implemented through the UN-REDD and the NICFI programme with a total budget of over 100mil USD. The readiness phase has laid down a foundation to most ground work to support accounting on GHGs emission. Moreover, the readiness phase gave set up of the MRV system together with a road map for RL/REL. currently the ability of the nation to collect emission data (NFI) is much enhanced than before. Institutional arrangement and coordination for Carbon monitoring is well underway through the NCMC. However the development of MRV system in Tanzania is still at infancy stage as many of the key issues are not in place viz. NFMS, RL/REL and the definition of forest. Tanzania has a good foundation of policy framework to address adaptation and mitigation of climate change in agriculture. It needs very complex and accommodating methods and tools that will capture differences in agro-ecologies farming systems, agricultural input levels and other land management.The document is also available ttp://www.fao.org/climatechange/micca/en/) .Government of Finland

Contribution to the detection of Lake Masoko (Tanzania) groundwater outflow: isotopic evidence (O-18,D)

International audienc