The global decline of cheetah Acinonyx jubatus and what it means for conservation

Establishing and maintaining protected areas (PAs) are key tools for biodiversity conservation. However, this approach is insufficient for many species, particularly those that are wide-ranging and sparse. The cheetah Acinonyx jubatus exemplifies such a species and faces extreme challenges to its survival. Here, we show that the global population is estimated at ∼7,100 individuals and confined to 9% of its historical distributional range. However, the majority of current range (77%) occurs outside of PAs, where the species faces multiple threats. Scenario modeling shows that, where growth rates are suppressed outside PAs, extinction rates increase rapidly as the proportion of population protected declines. Sensitivity analysis shows that growth rates within PAs have to be high if they are to compensate for declines outside. Susceptibility of cheetah to rapid decline is evidenced by recent rapid contraction in range, supporting an uplisting of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List threat assessment to endangered. Our results are applicable to other protection-reliant species, which may be subject to systematic underestimation of threat when there is insufficient information outside PAs. Ultimately, conserving many of these species necessitates a paradigm shift in conservation toward a holistic approach that incentivizes protection and promotes sustainable human–wildlife coexistence across large multiple-use landscapes

Grassroots Economic Development, Social Justice and Poverty Reduction

This article discusses the relationship that exists between grassroots economic development, social justice, and poverty reduction. It argues that social justice is a central component for the achievement of grassroots economic development, and in that process making it possible to reduce, and even eradicates, poverty. The article defines, albeit briefly, what constitutes poverty, and factors that contribute to abject poverty: some of which include ignorance, lack of social facilities, dependence, disease, corruption, etc. The article surmises that if there is close relationship and interface between grassroots economic development, social justice, and poverty, people (especially the poor) will be able to enhance their skills, knowledge and participation in accessing resources. In this process, people will have the capacity to generate economic development, and hence access social justice

(Why) have pro-poor policies failed Africa's working poor?

Globalisation, liberalisation and urbanisation have contributed to a rapid growth of urban informal economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Commerce has become a dominant feature of national economies, and street vending has become a prime source of employment for poor urban dwellers, yet most work illegally, and evictions and harassment are common. The paper examines the process and impacts of three pro-poor reform agendas in Tanzania, each representing a different ideology of reform, and draws on survey results from 2007 and 2011 to assess their potential to legitimate the activities of street vendors and to ameliorate their relations with the state. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Inclusion of informal economic actors in voluntary social security schemes: A study of motorcycle taxi service (bodaboda) in Dar es Salaam

This study explores and organizes the informal motorcycle transport operators to understand how motorcycle taxi service (boda-boda) riders join or refrain from becoming members of social security schemes that provide social protection. The study examines the perceptions of boda-boda actors toward voluntary contribution to social security schemes. The study employed a case study research design whereby qualitative methods were used to collect data through face-to-face interviews with motorcycle operators in Dar es Salaam. Motorcycle operators seem to be a lucrative employment sector for many youths and provide informal mobility services for urban residents; the activity faces many safety risks, physical disability from accidents, motorcycle theft, unreliable incomes and job insecurity; yet many are not members of the formal social security system. The study found that motorcycle operators established savings associations as social security institutions. These social security associations provide loans, moral and psychosocial support to members. The findings further indicate that flexible association norms and swift access to social security support in an event one has had a misfortune such as an accident or sickness make most association members prefer the association rather than formal social security schemes. This calls for legal, social security to adopt operational conditions that provide swift support to its members and the need for them to support and collaborate with these informal social security associations

Landscape-scale variability of soil health indicators: effects of cultivation on soil organic carbon in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania

This article is published with open access at Springerlink.comLand-use change continues at an alarming rate in sub-Saharan Africa adversely affecting ecosystem services provided by soil. These impacts are greatly understudied, especially in biodiversity rich mountains in East Africa. The objectives of this study were to: conduct a biophysical baseline of soil and land health; assess the effects of cultivation on soil organic carbon (SOC); and develop a map of SOC at high resolution to enable farm-scale targeting of management interventions. Biophysical field surveys were conducted in a 100 km2 landscape near Lushoto, Tanzania, with composite soil samples collected from 160 sampling plots. Soil erosion prevalence was scored, trees were counted, and current and historic land use was recorded at each plot. The results of the study showed a decline in SOC as a result of cultivation, with cultivated plots (n = 105) having mean topsoil OC of 30.6 g kg-1, while semi-natural plots (n = 55) had 71 g OC kg-1 in topsoil. Cultivated areas were also less variable in SOC than seminatural systems. Prediction models were developed for the mapping of SOC based on RapidEye remote sensing data for January 2014, with good model performance (RMSEPcal = 8.0 g kg-1; RMSEPval = 10.5 g kg-1) and a SOC map was generated for the study. Interventions will need to focus on practices that increase SOC in order to enhance productivity and resilience of the farming system, in general. The highresolution maps can be used to spatially target interventions as well as for monitoring of changes in SOC

Landscape-scale variability of soil health indicators: effects of cultivation on soil organic carbon in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania

This article is published with open access at Springerlink.comLand-use change continues at an alarming rate in sub-Saharan Africa adversely affecting ecosystem services provided by soil. These impacts are greatly understudied, especially in biodiversity rich mountains in East Africa. The objectives of this study were to: conduct a biophysical baseline of soil and land health; assess the effects of cultivation on soil organic carbon (SOC); and develop a map of SOC at high resolution to enable farm-scale targeting of management interventions. Biophysical field surveys were conducted in a 100 km2 landscape near Lushoto, Tanzania, with composite soil samples collected from 160 sampling plots. Soil erosion prevalence was scored, trees were counted, and current and historic land use was recorded at each plot. The results of the study showed a decline in SOC as a result of cultivation, with cultivated plots (n = 105) having mean topsoil OC of 30.6 g kg-1, while semi-natural plots (n = 55) had 71 g OC kg-1 in topsoil. Cultivated areas were also less variable in SOC than seminatural systems. Prediction models were developed for the mapping of SOC based on RapidEye remote sensing data for January 2014, with good model performance (RMSEPcal = 8.0 g kg-1; RMSEPval = 10.5 g kg-1) and a SOC map was generated for the study. Interventions will need to focus on practices that increase SOC in order to enhance productivity and resilience of the farming system, in general. The highresolution maps can be used to spatially target interventions as well as for monitoring of changes in SOC

"The phone number tells us good things we didn't know before." Use of interactive voice response calling for improving knowledge and uptake of family planning methods among Maasai in Tanzania.

Maasai living in the Arusha region, Tanzania, face challenges in feeding their children because of decreasing grazing grounds for their cattle. Therefore, they requested birth control methods. Previous studies have shown that lack of knowledge about, and poor access to, family planning (FP) may worsen the situation. We developed an interactive voice response calling (IVRC) platform for Maasai and health care workers (HCW) to create a venue for communication about FP to increase knowledge and access to FP. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of the platform on knowledge, access and use of family planning methods. We applied a participatory action research approach using mixed methods for data collection to develop and pilot-test an mHealth-platform with IVRC using Maa language. We enrolled Maasai-couples and HCW in Monduli District (Esilalei ward), Arusha Region, and followed them for 20 months. A baseline assessment was done to explore knowledge about FP. Furthermore, we abstracted information on FP clinic visits. Based on that, we developed a system called Embiotishu. A toll-free number was provided to interact with the system by calling with their phone. The system offers pre-recorded voice messages with information about FP and reproductive health to educate Maasai. The system recorded the number of calls and the type of information accessed. We measured the outcome by (1) a survey investigating the knowledge of contraceptive methods before and after Embiotishu and (2) counting the number of clinic visits (2018-2020) from medical records and feedback from qualitative data for FP used among Maasai. The acceptability and feasibility were explored through focus group discussions (FGDs) with Maasai and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with HCW. We recruited 76 Maasai couples whom we interviewed during the baseline assessment. The overall knowledge of contraceptives increased significantly (p<0.005) in both men and women. The number of clinic visits rose from 137 in 2018 to 344 in 2019 and 228 in the first six months of 2020. Implants were the most prescribed family planning method, followed by injections and pills, as found in medical records. The number of incoming calls, missed calls, and questions were 24,033 over 20 months. Out of these calls, 14,547 topics were selected. The most selected topics were modern contraceptives (mainly implants, condoms, tubal ligation, and vasectomy). Natural methods of contraception (vaginal fluid observations, calendar, and temperature). Our study has shown that the IVRC system led to an improvement in knowledge about and access to contraceptives. Furthermore, it has potential to increase access to health information as well as improve dialogue between Health workers and Maasai

Exploring alternatives for livestock production in Lushoto, Tanzania: Playing the Transformation Game

This report presents the design for and preliminary results from the second ResLeSS workshop in Tanzania. The workshop is focused around the development of socio-economic indicators that are shared between stakeholders, and a “Transformation Game” that engages stakeholders in scenario development and assessment focused on the CLEANED environmental impact simulation tool. This approach enabled participants to engage with the knowledge about higher-yielding dairy production and an opportunity to plan for the future. An explicit focus on equity, through the design of the workshops and Game, and the treatment of economic indicators that encompass wider perceptions of value than finance alone, helped ensure that dialogue was able to emerge rooted in an appreciation of the different perspectives held by stakeholders. The Game opened a space for discussion that has yielded important insights for future development planning and was valued by the workshop participants. Participant feedback makes clear that the workshop developed new knowledge and achieved the objective of creating an opportunity for joint learning - participants welcomed the opportunity to plan for the future and to be challenged on what is feasible in the future. The workshop revealed a shared desire among stakeholders for livestock livelihoods to provide an improved standard of living and wellbeing, and a shared appreciation that improved feed and animal management coupled with shifting to higher-producing breeds can double milk production. There were different opinions on how much to change – “he who dares wins” pitted against a more cautious approach recognising that many in Lushoto would not cope with the increased costs of keeping pure exotic breeds. The transformation game provided rhetorical space to explore the two perspectives, although participants missed having a simple cost calculator. The results indicate a clear sense that participants are focused on meeting socio-economic goals (expressed for the most part in terms of increased income from livestock) and that, in the highland part of Lushoto, a strategy of moving to cross breeds and exotic breeds with good management presents an opportunity to reduce environmental impacts in Lushoto. Pressure on land and water is reduced and although greenhouse gas emissions increase, the emission intensity reduces. The move to zero-grazing will benefit soil fertility in Lushoto, as more manure can be applied to fields. However, three trade-offs arise: i) There are financial costs of keeping the high-producing breeds to take into account, as they are more vulnerable to disease and have high feed and maintenance requirements – and as production increases, the milk price in Lushoto may fall. Not everyone in the district will have the financial resources to invest in high-producing breeds. ii) The feedbasket for high-producing breeds relies mainly on planted fodder and purchased concentrates. In an area where land is restricted, the additional planted fodder will compete with existing crops, potentially affecting food security. Although there is a sense that planted fodder for milk would provide higher returns than ill-suited maize, producers will need to consider what is the best use of their land. iii) The reliance on purchased concentrates effectively exports the environmental impact, allowing for the reduced pressure in Lushoto. Although this benefits Lushoto, national planning should take this into consideration. Overall, the workshop was a positive learning experience for all, providing an important opportunity to come together, but it is only the start of an ongoing conversation