TITLE:
Testing of Decision Making Tools for Village Land Use Planning and Natural Resources Management in Kilimanjaro Region
AUTHORS:
Anthony Z. Sangeda, Frederick C. Kahimba, Reuben A. L. Kashaga, Ernest Semu, Christopher P. Mahonge, Francis X. Mkanda
KEYWORDS:
Decision Making Tool, Land Use Planning, Sustainable Land Management, Natural Resources Management, Kilimanjaro
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Soil Science,
Vol.4 No.13,
December
22,
2014
ABSTRACT:
This paper focuses on participatory testing of decision making tools
(DMTs) at village level to assist in development of land use plans (LUPs) for
sustainable land management (SLM) in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Data were
collected using conditional surveys through key informant interviews with the
project’s district stakeholders in each district, focused group discussions
with selected villagers and participatory mapping of natural resources. Soil
health, land degradation, carbon stock, and hydrological conditions were
assessed in the seven pilot villages in all seven districts using DMTs as part
of testing and validation. Results indicated soils of poor to medium health,
and land degradation as portrayed by gullies and wind erosion in lowlands and
better in uplands. Carbon and forest disturbance status could not be assessed
using one-year data but hydrological analysis revealed that water resources
were relatively good in uplands and poor in the lowlands. Challenges with
regard to land use include increased gully erosion, decreased stream flow,
reduced vegetation cover due to shifting from coffee with tree sheds to annual
crops farming, cultivation near water sources, and overgrazing. Empowering the
community with decision making tools at village level is essential to ensure
that village land uses are planned in a participatory manner for sustainable
land and natural resources management in Kilimanjaro and other regions in
Tanzania.