Decision Support Systems in Forest Management: An Integrated Approach

Decision making process - especially in natural resources management, encounters myriad of challenges to objective decisions, significant decision depends on amount of information and capability of decision makers to handle massive data. In forest management, these challenges such as lack of enough data and cost associated with obtaining insitu spatial data, have been minimised with the use Geospatial Decision Support System (GDSS). GDSS has shown great capability of capturing, storing, analysing, retrieving and manipulating data for aiding spatial decisions. This technology proliferates quickly and as a result decision makers overlook other systems for forest governing. Following this situation, people living adjacent to forests have found it difficult to accessing forest resources - and their livelihoods, which depends on forests have been compromised. The continuing degradation of forest resources despite existence of different management strategies - such as (community based forest management and joint forest management), has made it necessary to assess decisions on forest conservation. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) strategy was applied to capture extent of use of Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) and GDSS in forest management decisions, observation was applied to implicitly relate the narration from FGD and the reality while interview method was applied to forest officials to capture use of ILK in forest decision making. The results revealed that ILK related to forest management; however the uncovered ILK has been insignificantly used together with GDSS in making decision for conservation. This paper establishes the ignorance on ILK as one among other factors behind the continued forest cover depletion despite existence of conventional conservation strategies. The developed framework integrates GDSS and ILK to aid forest decisions which will ensure sustainable forest conservation and serves for forest needs of the communities adjacent

A qualitative process evaluation of training for non-physician clinicians/associate clinicians (NPCs/ACs) in emergency maternal, neonatal care and clinical leadership, impact on clinical services improvements in rural Tanzania: the ETATMBA project: Table 1

Objectives The Enhancing Human Resources and Use of Appropriate Training for Maternal and Perinatal Survival in sub-Saharan Africa (ETATMBA) project is training non-physician clinicians as advanced clinical leaders in emergency maternal and newborn care in Tanzania and Malawi. The main aims of this process evaluation were to explore the implementation of the programme of training in Tanzania, how it was received, how or if the training has been implemented into practice and the challenges faced along the way. Design Qualitative interviews with trainees, trainers, district officers and others exploring the application of the training into practice. Participants During late 2010 and 2011, 36 trainees including 19 assistant medical officers one senior clinical officer and 16 nurse midwives/nurses (anaesthesia) were recruited from districts across rural Tanzania and invited to join the ETATMBA training programme. Results Trainees (n=36) completed the training returning to 17 facilities, two left and one died shortly after training. Of the remaining trainees, 27 were interviewed at their health facility. Training was well received and knowledge and skills were increased. There were a number of challenges faced by trainees, not least that their new skills could not be practised because the facilities they returned to were not upgraded. Nonetheless, there is evidence that the training is having an effect locally on health outcomes, like maternal and neonatal mortality, and the trainees are sharing their new knowledge and skills with others. Conclusions The outcome of this evaluation is encouraging but highlights that there are many ongoing challenges relating to infrastructure (including appropriate facilities, electricity and water) and the availability of basic supplies and drugs. This cadre of workers is a dedicated and valuable resource that can make a difference, which with better support could make a greater contribution to healthcare in the country

Can training non-physician clinicians/associate clinicians (NPCs/ACs) in emergency obstetric, neonatal care and clinical leadership make a difference to practice and help towards reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality in rural Tanzania? The ETATMBA project

Objectives During late 2010, 36 trainees including 19 assistant medical officers (AMOs) 1 senior clinical officer (CO) and 16 nurse midwives/nurses were recruited from districts across rural Tanzania and invited to join the Enhancing Human Resources and Use of Appropriate Technologies for Maternal and Perinatal Survival in the sub-Saharan Africa (ETATMBA) training programme. The ETATMBA project was training associate clinicians (ACs) as advanced clinical leaders in emergency obstetric care. The trainees returned to health facilities across the country with the hope of being able to apply their new skills and knowledge. The main aim of this study was to explore the impact of the ETATMBA training on health outcomes including maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in their facilities. Secondly, to explore the challenges faced in working in these health facilities. Design The study is a pre-examination/postexamination of maternal and neonatal health indicators and a survey of health facilities in rural Tanzania. The facilities surveyed were those in which ETATMBA trainees were placed post-training. The maternal and neonatal indicators were collected for 2011 and 2013 and the survey of the facilities was in early 2014. Results 16 of 17 facilities were surveyed. Maternal deaths show a non-significant downward trend over the 2 years (282–232 cases/100 000 live births). There were no significant differences in maternal, neonatal and birth complication variables across the time-points. The survey of facilities revealed shortages in key areas and some are a serious concern. Conclusions This study represents a snapshot of rural health facilities providing maternal and neonatal care in Tanzania. Enhancing knowledge, practical skills, and clinical leadership of ACs may have a positive impact on health outcomes. However, any impact may be confounded by the significant challenges in delivering a service in terms of resources. Thus, training may be beneficial, but it requires an infrastructure that supports it

Potential carbon credit and community expectations towards viability of REDD project in Ugalla- Masito ecosystem: A case of Ilagala and Karago villages, Kigoma Tanzania

The paper presents results of the potential carbon credit and community expectations towards viability of REDD+ projects in Ugalla- Masito ecosystem using a case of Ilagala and Karago villages whereby REDD+ is being piloted. Various data collection methods were employed and these included focused group discussion, interview, structured questionnaires and document analysis. Results of the study indicate that, there are two suggested payment sharing approaches associated with different preferences at both household and village government levels. These include cash payments to households for compensating the opportunity costs incurred and the second is that funds should be given to village government for community developmental projects. Analysis of the opportunity costs, marginal (incremental) revenues from forest carbon stock as well as the conceptual trend of forest biomass indicates that, there is probability for the project to flop in a very short time. Therefore, in order to ensure the future viability of REDD+ and its associated projects as well as ensuring sustainability of people’s livelihoods, any REDD+ associated activities should harmonize community preferences and balance them with project goals by supporting communities in their alternative livelihood activities.Key words: Carbon stock payments, community preferences and REDD+ project viability

Drought pattern along the coastal forest zone of Tanzania

This study focused on identifying drought patterns particularly during the growing seasons along the coastal zone of Tanzania in order to facilitate the determination of drought impacts on forest Ecosystem. The growing seasons were March, April and May (MAM) referred as long growing season and October, November and December (OND) which is known as short growing season. The main data were precipitation from 16 weather stations covering the coastal zones of Tanzania. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was used to establish meteorological drought patterns. The duration of records was between 34 and 59 years depending on the available data on the concerned stations. The SPI time series of 3 and 12 months showed that the coastal region of Tanzania experienced frequent drought conditions ranging from mild, moderate, severe and extreme drought during both short and long growing seasons. It was found that the coastal zone of Tanzania experienced higher drought duration, severity and intensity with frequent extreme events after 2000 than before. Despite that Kisarawe area revealed low frequency of drought events (88%) than other study areas. Higher drought duration (40 months) and severity (sum of SPI-36) were observed for precipitation data from Julius Nyerere International Airport areas displayed higher drought intensity (SPI value of 1.9). Generally, Tanzania coastal zone was never completely without drought or anomalously wet conditions at any time scale during the period of record. The coastal zone was nearly entirely in drought periods especially the last decade after 2000. This suggests that the vegetation in the coastal zone might have experienced the impacts of these droughts within the period. The magnitude of the impacts will be understood by tracking changes of biomass and forest cover along the coastal zone within the last decade from 2000 to 2011 in addition to the 1990/92 which experienced drought dominance for Pemba.Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/acs.2014.4303

Politics of REDD: What are communities’ expectations on access and benefit sharing under REDD pilot projects in Tanzania?

Prime Research on Education (PRE), 2011; 1 (7): 134-140This paper presents communities expectations on access and benefit sharing in seven selected REDD pilot projects in Tanzania. The pilot projects are being implemented by African Wildlife Foundation, Tanzania Traditional Energy and Environmental Organization, Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative, Tanzania Forest Conservation Group, Jane Goodall Institute, Wildlife Conservation Society and Care International in Tanzania. Key informants interviews, focus group discussions and a questionnaire to 615 household heads in the selected household representatives in 14 REDD pilot villages were administered. Findings indicate that, majority (89.9%) of the community representatives have primary school as their highest level of education. 80.5% of the representatives’ main economic activity is agriculture. On REDD awareness, 68.9% of the community representatives are aware and 42.2% indicated to have received some incentives under the REDD pilot projects. Only 7% indicated to be satisfied with the benefit received from REDD pilot projects in the respective projects areas. On the forest related resources, 61% of the community representative reported to have lost access to fuel wood, charcoal making were 30.6%, and construction materials including poles and reeds were 7.8%. Communities ranked (i) poor access to REDD related benefits, (ii) few people being involved in REDD, (iii) poor governance, (iv) leakage, (v) land alienation,(vi) conflicts on benefit sharing and (vii) unacceptance of the projects by local communities as implementation challenges in REDD pilot projects in their respective villages. In implementing the REDD pilot projects, issues of benefit sharing mechanisms, equity, governance and leakage should be given priority for sustainability of such projects under carbon market

Politics of REDD: What are communities’ expectations on access and benefit sharing under REDD pilot projects in Tanzania?

Prime Research on Education (PRE), 2011; 1 (7): 134-140This paper presents communities expectations on access and benefit sharing in seven selected REDD pilot projects in Tanzania. The pilot projects are being implemented by African Wildlife Foundation, Tanzania Traditional Energy and Environmental Organization, Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative, Tanzania Forest Conservation Group, Jane Goodall Institute, Wildlife Conservation Society and Care International in Tanzania. Key informants interviews, focus group discussions and a questionnaire to 615 household heads in the selected household representatives in 14 REDD pilot villages were administered. Findings indicate that, majority (89.9%) of the community representatives have primary school as their highest level of education. 80.5% of the representatives’ main economic activity is agriculture. On REDD awareness, 68.9% of the community representatives are aware and 42.2% indicated to have received some incentives under the REDD pilot projects. Only 7% indicated to be satisfied with the benefit received from REDD pilot projects in the respective projects areas. On the forest related resources, 61% of the community representative reported to have lost access to fuel wood, charcoal making were 30.6%, and construction materials including poles and reeds were 7.8%. Communities ranked (i) poor access to REDD related benefits, (ii) few people being involved in REDD, (iii) poor governance, (iv) leakage, (v) land alienation,(vi) conflicts on benefit sharing and (vii) unacceptance of the projects by local communities as implementation challenges in REDD pilot projects in their respective villages. In implementing the REDD pilot projects, issues of benefit sharing mechanisms, equity, governance and leakage should be given priority for sustainability of such projects under carbon market

Can training in advanced clinical skills in obstetrics, neonatal care and leadership, of non-physician clinicians in Malawi impact on clinical services improvements (the ETATMBA project) : a process evaluation

Objectives The ‘enhancing human resources and the use of appropriate technologies for maternal and perinatal survival in sub-Saharan Africa’ (ETATMBA) project is training emergency obstetric and new-born care (EmONC) non-physician clinicians (NPCs) as advanced clinical leaders. Our objectives were to evaluate the implementation and changes to practice. Design A mixed methods process evaluation with the predominate methodology being qualitative. Setting Rural and urban hospitals in 8 of the 14 districts of northern and central Malawi. Participants 54 EmONC NPCs with 3 years’ plus experience. Intervention Training designed and delivered by clinicians from the UK and Malawi; it is a 2-year plus package of training (classroom, mentorship and assignments). Results We conducted 79 trainee interviews over three time points during the training, as well as a convenience sample of 10 colleagues, 7 district officers and 2 UK obstetricians. Trainees worked in a context of substantial variation in the rates of maternal and neonatal deaths between districts. Training reached trainees working across the target regions. For 46 trainees (8 dropped out of the course), dose delivered in terms of attendance was high and all 46 spent time working alongside an obstetrician. In early interviews trainees recalled course content unprompted indicating training had been received. Colleagues and district officers reported cascading of knowledge and initial changes in practice indicating early implementation. By asking trainees to describe actual cases we found they had implemented new knowledge and skills. These included life-saving interventions for postpartum haemorrhage and eclampsia. Trainees identified the leadership training as enabling them to confidently change their own practice and initiate change in their health facility. Conclusions This process evaluation suggests that trainees have made positive changes in their practice. Clear impacts on maternal and perinatal mortality are yet to be elucidated