Recent land cover and use changes in Miombo woodlands of eastern Tanzania

Forest and wood land ecosystems in Tanzania occupy more than 45% of the land area, more than two thirds of which made up of the Miombo woodland. The main form of land use in the Miombo region has long been shifting and small-scale sedentary cultivation. The lack of infrastructure and prevalence of deadly diseases such as malaria and trypanosiomiasis have long limited extensive clearance for cultivation, livestock farming and settlements. However, due to positives changes in the socio-economical, political and technological setup in miombo region, the types and intensity of land use are now changing. This paper discusses preliminary results from a study conducted with the aim of contributing to the understanding of dynamics of land cover and use changes in miombo woodlands of eastern Tanzania. The study area comprises four villages around the “Kitulangalo Forest Reserve”, 140 km west of Dar es Salaam on either side of the Morogoro-Dar es Salaam highway. Landsat MSS satellite images of July 1975, Landsat TM satellite images of July 2000 were used to assess land cover changes between 1975 and 2000. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), questionnaire survey and checklists for key informants were the major methods used for collecting socio-economic data. The land cover/use class of woodland with scattered cultivation has recorded the highest percentage of change between July 1975 and July 2000. While all other classes have registered positive changes, only the closed woodland class has had negative change meaning that this class has been decreasing in favour of other land cover/use classes. Recent land cover and use changes are drastic in the study area. These changes havebeen triggered largely by varied factors including mainly increased population density and subsequent economic activities. Economicactivities including charcoal business, shifting cultivation, opening up of improved highway and pastoralism in the study area have greatly contributed to deforestation and woodland degradation. In light of these findings, there is need for:(1) Adequate land use planning and survey of village lands so as to avoid exacerbation of land use conflict and environmental degradation in the study area.(2) Agrarian reforms to eliminate open access regimes to natural resources.(3) Enforcement of fiscal policies related to the extraction of natural resource products such as timber and charcoal so as toreduce pressure on woodlands.Keywords: land use – cover change – Kitulangalo – miombo woodland

Fresh and Composted Paper Sludges Sustain Soil Productivity

In this 5-yr study, application frequency of fresh (FDS) and composted (CDS) paper sludges was evaluated on soil properties and silage corn (Zea mays L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yields and N uptake by comparing one application (2000) with repeated applications (2000, 2001, 2002). Treatments consisted of a control with neither amendment nor N fertilizer, a recommended N rate for corn (160 kg N ha−1) and barley (90 kg N ha−1), and FDS and CDS at a rate of 40 Mg ha−1 on wet basis with or without reduced N fertilizer (120 kg N ha−1) on corn. Compared to the control, the FDS or CDS applications significantly increased the proportions of soil larger macroaggregates (>2 mm) and the mean-weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, regardless their application frequency. Single or three yrs additions of FDS or CDS produced, on average, an increase of 25 to 31% of the soil C and N contents compared to the control and the recommended N fertilizer treatment (160 kg N ha−1). In the first year of their application, the FDS or CDS with or without supplemental N fertilizer (120 kg N ha−1) reduced silage corn and N uptake, compared to the control probably due to N immobilization. However, silage corn yields were increased in the following years with one application or with repeated application of FDS or CDS. Results show that benefits on soil properties and crop yields of single application of FDS and CDS were similar to those of the triple applications and were still noticeable a few years following the last application

Household Tree Planting In Kilosa District, Tanzania

The objective of this study was to assess household tree planting efforts and to investigate current constraints to afforestation in Kilosa District, Tanzania. The results of the study showed that 77 % of farmers in the district have planted trees in their farms, whether by themselves or previous farm owners. The average total number of planted trees was estimated to be 40 + 7 (SE) trees per household. Men headed household tended to have more planted trees [44 + 9 (SE)] than female headed households [31 + 11 (SE)]. Middle age households had planted more trees [49 + 14 (SE)] than younger [29 + 13 (SE)] and elder households [33 + 8 (SE)]. Tree planting appeared to be positively influenced by farm size and education. Fruit trees dominated in the home gardens (53 %) while non-fruits trees were more abundant far away from homestead. An investigation of constraints to tree planting and tending revealed that lack of seedlings (32 % of respondents), shortage of designated planting sites (24 %) and uncertainty over land ownership appeared to be the most important obstacles to tree planting in the district. It was surprising that land shortage became as the second leading constraint to tree planting despite the apparent low density of human population (32 people per km2 in 2000). The study concludes by recommending that in order to promote tree planting in the country\'s rural areas, farmers have to be assisted in production of seedlings. Other necessary prerequisites are effective land-use planning and clear secured tenure over land. TJFNC Vol. 75 2004: pp. 99-10

The impact of community-based forest management and joint forest management on the forest resource base and local people’s livelihoods: Case studies from Tanzania

In recent years, there has been a move in eastern and southern African countries from centralised and state-driven management of natural resources towards decentralised and people-centred based regimes. In Tanzania, the inception of the 1998 national forest policy has led to institutionalisation of community-based forest management (CBFM) and joint forest management (JFM). A number of years later, it is worth assessing the impact of this policy on the resource base and people’s livelihoods. This paper uses two case studies of forest reserves under participatory forest management to explore this issue. Secondary data was gathered from various studies conducted in those two forest reserves. In addition to the analysis carried out by the various authors, further analysis involving content and structural analysis and synthesis of documented information was done. The results of the study revealed that CBFM at Duru-Haitemba had a positive impact on the resource base and people’s livelihoods – the forest is healthier than before and people are satisfied with the products they collect from the forests. On the other hand, the impact of JFM at Kwizu Forest Reserve has not yet produced desirable results since illegal activities are still rampant and, apparently, forest exploitation has increased instead of decreasing. The reasons behind the success at Duru-Haitemba and relative failure at Kwizu are varied, but are most probably linked to ownership of resources and law enforcement. Clear definition of rights, returns and responsibilities and adequate incentives are important for sustainability of people-centred management of natural resources.Center for Applied Social Sciences, University of Zimbabwe Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS

Charcoal Supply In Dar Es Salaam City, Tanzania

In Tanzania, charcoal is the primary source of energy particularly in urban areas. Dar es Salaam, being the largest urban center in the country, is also the largest consumer of charcoal. Assuming that all charcoal transported in the city is consumed, an investigation to estimate the amount of charcoal supplied daily was undertaken through monitoring at checkpoints the amount of charcoal transported daily to the city of Dar es Salaam. The study reveals that on average about 6,000 bags of charcoal are transported daily to the city. The figure may be an underestimation by four fold as most charcoal enters the city unrecorded. The highest amount of charcoal comes from North-West (34 %) and South (31 %) of Dar es Salaam. Open trucks transport the highest amount of charcoal (88 %) into the city. However, bicycles are the most frequent means of charcoal transportation constituting on average about 64 % of all individuals engaged daily in charcoal transportation. Though there are some new vehicles, the greatest percentage of vehicles involved in charcoal transportation are old (mainly registered in the 1980's). Most of the charcoal is transported during morning hours (56 %). Most of the charcoal transported to the city is for commercial use. The revenues from charcoal transportation taxes contribute a significant amount of money to both Local and Central Governments. If properly collected and used, they can effectively contribute to the development of the country and sustainable management of the catchment areas for charcoal. TJFNC Vol. 75 2004: pp. 108-11

Rapid Assessment of Mineral Concentration in Meadow Grasses by Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

A near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) method for rapid determination of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in diverse meadow grasses was developed with a view towards utilizing this material for biogas production and organic fertilizer. NIRS spectra between 12,000 cm−1 and 4,000 cm−1 were used. When validated on samples from different years to those used for the calibration set, the NIRS prediction of nitrogen was considered moderately useful with R2 = 0.77, ratio of standard error of prediction to reference data range (RER) of 9.32 and ratio of standard error of prediction to standard deviation of reference data (RPD) of 2.33. Prediction of potassium was less accurate, with R2 = 0.77, RER of 6.56 and RPD of 1.45, whilst prediction of phosphorous was not considered accurate enough to be of any practical use. This work is of interest from the point of view of both the removal of excess nutrients from formerly intensively farmed areas and also for assessing the plant biomass suitability for conversion into carbon neutral energy through biogas production

Impact of community-based forest management and joint forest management on forest resource base and local peoples' livelihoods : case studies from Tanzania

Copublished with Centre for Applied Social Sciences, University of ZimbabweCASS/PLAAS occasion paper seriesIn recent years, there has been a move in eastern and southern African countries from centralised and state-driven management of natural resources towards decentralised and people-centred based regimes. In Tanzania, the inception of the 1998 national forest policy has led to institutionalisation of community-based forest management (CBFM) and joint forest management (JFM). A number of years later, it is worth assessing the impact of this policy on the resource base and people’s livelihoods. This paper uses two case studies of forest reserves under participatory forest management to explore this issue. Secondary data was gathered from various studies conducted in those two forest reserves. In addition to the analysis carried out by the various authors, further analysis involving content and structural analysis and synthesis of documented information was done. The results of the study revealed that CBFM at Duru-Haitemba had a positive impact on the resource base and people’s livelihoods – the forest is healthier than before and people are satisfied with the products they collect from the forests. On the other hand, the impact of JFM at Kwizu Forest Reserve has not yet produced desirable results since illegal activities are still rampant and, apparently, forest exploitation has increased instead of decreasing. The reasons behind the success at Duru-Haitemba and relative failure at Kwizu are varied, but are most probably linked to ownership of resources and law enforcement. Clear definition of rights, returns and responsibilities and adequate incentives are important for sustainability of people-centred management of natural resources

A global spectral library to characterize the world's soil

Soil provides ecosystem services, supports human health and habitation, stores carbon and regulates emissions of greenhouse gases. Unprecedented pressures on soil from degradation and urbanization are threatening agro-ecological balances and food security. It is important that we learn more about soil to sustainably manage and preserve it for future generations. To this end, we developed and analyzed a global soil visible-near infrared (vis-NIR) spectral library. It is currently the largest and most diverse database of its kind. We show that the information encoded in the spectra can describe soil composition and be associated to land cover and its global geographic distribution, which acts as a surrogate for global climate variability. We also show the usefulness of the global spectra for predicting soil attributes such as soil organic and inorganic carbon, clay, silt, sand and iron contents, cation exchange capacity, and pH. Using wavelets to treat the spectra, which were recorded in different laboratories using different spectrometers and methods, helped to improve the spectroscopic modelling. We found that modelling a diverse set of spectra with a machine learning algorithm can find the local relationships in the data to produce accurate predictions of soil properties. The spectroscopic models that we derived are parsimonious and robust, and using them we derived a harmonized global soil attribute dataset, which might serve to facilitate research on soil at the global scale. This spectroscopic approach should help to deal with the shortage of data on soil to better understand it and to meet the growing demand for information to assess and monitor soil at scales ranging from regional to global. New contributions to the library are encouraged so that this work and our collaboration might progress to develop a dynamic and easily updatable database with better global coverage. We hope that this work will reinvigorate our community's discussion towards larger, more coordinated collaborations. We also hope that use of the database will deepen our understanding of soil so that we might sustainably manage it and extend the research outcomes of the soil, earth and environmental sciences towards applications that we have not yet dreamed of