Mwongozo wa Mafunzo kwa Vitendo wa Kutayarisha na Kutunza Bustani ya Miche ya Miti kwa Wanavikundi Vya Misitu Katika Kata Zinazozunguka Msitu wa Hifadhi wa Milima ya Masasi

Mradi wa Kuongeza Teknolojia za Kupunguza Hewa ya Ukaa na Kuboresha Maisha ya Jamii zinazozunguka misitu ni sehemu ya Mradi wa Kuweka Mikakati ya Kuokoa Misitu iliyo hatarinini kutoweka nchini Tanzania yaani ‘Strategic Interventions’. Mradi huu upo chini ya Programu ya Kudhibiti na Kukabiliana Mabadiliko ya Tabia ya Nchi Tanzania unaotambuliwa kwa kiingereza kama ‘Climate Change Impact Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) Programme in Tanzania’ unaoratibiwa na Chuo Kikuu cha Sokoine cha Kilimo, Morogoro. Mradi huu unavishirikisha vyuo vikuu vitatu nchini Tanzania ambavyo ni Chuo kikuu cha Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Chuo kikuu cha Ardhi (ARU) pamoja na mamlaka ya Hali ya Hewa (TMA). Pia mradi unavihusisha vyuo vikuu nchini Norway chini ya uratibu wa Chuo kikuu cha Sayansi cha Norway (UMB). Madhumuni ya Mradi wa Kuongeza Teknolojia za Kupunguza Hewa ya ukaa na Kuboresha Maisha ya Jamii zinazozunguka misitu ni kusaidia juhudi za jamii (watu) husika katika kutekeleza hatua mbalimbali za kulinda, kurejesha na usimamizi endelevu wa misitu ili kukabiliana na athari za mabadiliko ya tabia ya nchi. Mradi huu umepangwa kutekelezwa katika Mji Mdogo wa Masasi, Wilayani Masasi. Mji mdogo wa Masasi una eneo la kilometa za mraba 376.7 na idadi ya watu ni zaidi ya 101,059 (kwa mwaka 2007) ambao wanaoishi katika kata sita za mji huo. Ukiondoa kata ya Mkuti, kata tano zilizosalia ambazo ni Sita, Temeke, Migongo, Jida na Mtandi zinazunguka Msitu wa Hifadhi wa Milima ya Masasi ambao ni msitu wa asili. Mnamo tarehe 15 – 22 Mei 2011 timu ya wataalamu watano wa mradi walitembelea mji huo kwa madhumuni ya kufanya upembuzi wa awali ndani ya msitu na kufanya mikutano na wadau mbalimbali kama vile wafanyakazi wa mji ndogo, vikundi vya mazingira na serikali za kata za Temeke, Migongo na Mtandi kwa ajili ya kuanza kutekeleza mradi huo. Upembuzi huo wa awali ulibaini kwamba Msitu huo wa hifadhi wa milima ya Masasi ulikuwa umeharibiwa kwa kiasi kikubwa kutokana na shughuli za binadamu kama vile kukata miti kwa ajili ya kuchoma mkaa, mbao na kuni, kulima ndani ya msitu na kuchoma moto. Maeneo mengi ya msitu yalikuwa yameathirika ikiwemo kupungua kwa vyanzo vya maji na vyanzo vya maji vilivyosalia maji yake yalikuwa machafu na hayatoshelezi mahitaji ya jamii inayozunguka msitu. Shughuli za uharibifu wa msitu ziliendelea kufanyika na watu wengi wanaoishi 2æ Bustani ya Miche ya Miti - Mwongozo kwenye kata zinazozunguka msitu waliendelea kutegemea rasilimali za msitu huo ili kujipatia mahitaji mbalimbali yakiwemo maji na mazao mbalimbali. Aidha upembuzi wa awali ulibaini kuwa kata za Temeke, Migongo na Mtandi kupitia serikali zao (Ward council) zilikubali kuanzishwa kwa vikundi vya misitu/mazingira kwenye kata zao na kuwahimiza wanavikundi kupanda miti kwa kusaidiwa na mradi kwa ajili ya kutunza Msitu wa Hifadhi wa Milima ya Masasi pamoja na kupata mahitaji yao kama ilivyopendekezwa na wataalam. Hata hivyo baada ya kubaini kuwa wanavikundi hawakuwa na ujuzi wa shughuli za upandaji miti hususan shughuli ya kutayarisha na kutunza bustani ya miche ya miti, wataalam walipanga kutoa elimu ya uoteshaji na utunzaji wa miche ya miti kwa wanavikundi wa misitu wa kata zinazozunguka Msitu wa Hifadhi wa Milima ya Masasi ili waweze kupata ujuzi na utaalam husika kwa vitendo. Elimu hii itawasaidia wanajamii na hasa kaya kuweza kujihusisha kikamilifu katika suala zima la upandaji miti na hivyo kupunguza kasi ya uharibifu ndani ya Msitu wa Hifadhi wa Milima ya Masasi, kuongeza kasi ya upunguzaji hewa ukaa angani na bila kusahau suala zima la kuongeza kipato cha kaya/jamii kwa kupitia uuzaji wa miche mbalimbali.Huu ni muongozo wa uanzishaji na utunzaji wa kitalu cha miche ya mitiNorwegian Embass

The effect of clay on the persistence of BTi toxicity against mosquito larvae in Morogoro, Tanzania IA

The article is a result of a project titled: The Impact and fate of pesticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis spp. in tropical soils and waters as influenced by interactions with clays - MICROBE - (Project No. INCO no ERBICI8 CT 970135)Laboratory colonies of Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus were reared from parental larvae obtained from the Ifakara Health Research Centre and septic tanks ill Morogoro Municipality respectively. Water ponds (1M3 ) were constructed at selected sites and left open for mosquitoes to breed ill freely. Various concentrations of Bti crystals were-mixed with varying concentrations of clay and tested against third instar larvae of each species at various periods of time post-preparation. A total of 60 larvae (20 x 3) were exposed to each mixture in the laboratory, and each- experiment was replicated four times. Mortality rates were recorded after 241t. exposure. The observations revealed that for every concentration of Bti crystals used, the toxicity on both species of mosquitoes was less persistent in crystal/clay mixtures than in crystals alone. It was also shown that such persistence was much less in mixtures containing large concentrations of clay (5mg/ml) titan in those containing low concentrations (0.05 - 0.5 mg/ml) of clay. It wasfurther observed th at the toxicity against Culex and Anopheles larvae was more persistent in mixtures containing higher concentrations of Bti crystals (0.12 - 0.3 ug/ml) titan ill those containing low concentrations (0.03 - 0.06 ug/ml) of the toxin. Furthermore, it was observed that C. quinquefasciatus larvae succumbed to Bti crystal/clay mixtures for longer periods titan A. gambiae larvae. It was generally concluded that clays have 11 negative impact on the persistence of Bti toxicity against mosquito larvae and th at such impact is more significant in mixtures containing large concentrations clay. It was also concluded that despite the environmental friendliness of Bti, its applicability by communities is limited in view of its short persistence when it is adsorbed to tropical soils which are found in most natural mosquito breeding sites.European Union (EU