The Kilombero Valley has been going through some drastic changes in recent years, one of which, recently highlighted in the national press in Tanzania is the influx of pastoralists into the region in the latter half of the last decade.There has also been great alteration in water availability in the area, and pollution of water bodies due to the contamination caused by pesticides used on livestock belonging to the pastoralists.
Their presence has placed great strain on the indigenous population of the valley, who have highlighted their plight to government bodies on numerous occasions but do not possess the wealth to be able to influence legal proceedings in comparison to the pastoralists. This is a great shame and there is no doubt that a change in the rights of the indigenous population needs to occur with regards to their capability to protect the Kilombero Valley from unsustainable practices. The production of livestock may serve many useful purposes in areas otherwise unsuitable for agricultural development, but in a fertile region such as the Kilombero valley, far more people can be provided for through the production of staple crops.
It is not just the human populations indigenous to the area that have been adversely affected by an influx of pastoralists to the area in recent years. Many wild populations of large mammal species have undergone a drastic reduction in numbers. Recent large mammal surveys in the Namwai forest, part of the Ruipa corridor, a historically important migratory corridor between two nationally protected areas have highlighted a crash in the populations of many species in the region in the last three years, with corresponding evidence of a substantial increase in the cattle population. The surveys were carried out by a research team working for Frontier Tanzania, a joint partnership between the University of Das es Salaam and the Society of Environmental Exploration (SEE).
The areas of Miombo woodland were surveyed in November 2007, and again in October 2010 for evidence and sightings of large mammals including baboon, buffalo, Bushpig and cow. In 2007, the percentage of sites surveyed showing evidence of baboon activity was 33%, buffalo; 20%, Bushpig; 36%, and evidence of cow was shown in 37% of transects. In 2010, these figures had changed drastically, with no evidence of any large mammal activity at any site with the exception of cows and Duiker. Evidence of Duiker was only found at 2% of all sites, whereas cows were shown to be active in every single site surveyed, a remarkable change in just three years.
Frontier teams in the Kilombero valley have also undertaken much training of local stakeholders in the Ruipa corridor towards the end of 2010, and are carrying on this work into the New Year. The training sessions encouraged village leaders to comment on the health of the Ruipa corridor and why its degradation is occurring at such a rapid rate. The consensus was that the largest factor was ever increasing pastoralism.
As is so often the case with examples of environmental degradation and habitat destruction, it is an influx of entities from other regions that is responsible for an adverse change in resource use and exploitation. The populations that have used resources in a sustainable way for generations are those that suffer the most and are also often those with the least rights. This is a system that is in desperate need of change, for both the benefit of the wild flora and fauna, and the indigenous human population.
For more information, or to get involved with Frontier’s Tanzania Project, please visit the Frontier website (http://www.frontier.ac.uk) to find out about volunteer abroad opportunities
Tags: environmental degradation, environmental exploration, fertile region, human populations, indigenous population, legal proceedings, mammal species, pastoralists, staple crops, unsustainable practices