International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis

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Effects of Expansion of Cultivation on Pastoralism as a Food-Security Measure in Longido District, Northern Tanzania

Received: 17 September 2017    Accepted: 04 October 2017    Published: 11 December 2017
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Abstract

The pace at which cultivation is expanding in the pastoral livelihood zones accentuates the need to take a pro-active role in choosing land use practices that increase food production in areas such as Longido District where climate variability renders agricultural production uncertain, but pastoralism as the mainstay of the economy. This study used a structured questionnaire to randomly assess the perceived impact of expansion of cultivation on 165 respondents in three ecological zones, namely Lowlands, Hills, and Mountains of Longido District in Northern Tanzania. Results show that expansion of cultivation results into reduced herd-splitting, a practice that enhances niche specialization grazing land by browsers and grazers. It also leads to loss of grazing land, restricted livestock movement, and escalation of conflicts between pastoralists and farmers. Considering the role pastoralism in the district, these effects are a potential threat to pasture availability, livestock productivity, and food security. To minimize the threat, it would be appropriate for the Longido District authorities, in conjunction with the communities, to establish reserves of grazing lands based on ecological zones. Such areas would have to be protected by traditional rules, coupled with village by laws that shall be strictly enforced as part of a food-security policy.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijema.20170506.12
Published in International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 5, Issue 6, December 2017)
Page(s) 159-166
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Expansion of Cultivation, Grazing Land, Food Insecurity, Pastoralism, Ecological Zones

References
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Author Information
  • Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Technology and Environmental Studies, The Open University of Tanzania, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

  • C/O George Nxumalo, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Mzuzu, Malawi

  • Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Technology and Environmental Studies, The Open University of Tanzania, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Victoria Anthony Nderumaki, Francis Xavier Mkanda, Josephat Alexander Saria. (2017). Effects of Expansion of Cultivation on Pastoralism as a Food-Security Measure in Longido District, Northern Tanzania. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 5(6), 159-166. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20170506.12

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    ACS Style

    Victoria Anthony Nderumaki; Francis Xavier Mkanda; Josephat Alexander Saria. Effects of Expansion of Cultivation on Pastoralism as a Food-Security Measure in Longido District, Northern Tanzania. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2017, 5(6), 159-166. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20170506.12

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    AMA Style

    Victoria Anthony Nderumaki, Francis Xavier Mkanda, Josephat Alexander Saria. Effects of Expansion of Cultivation on Pastoralism as a Food-Security Measure in Longido District, Northern Tanzania. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2017;5(6):159-166. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20170506.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijema.20170506.12,
      author = {Victoria Anthony Nderumaki and Francis Xavier Mkanda and Josephat Alexander Saria},
      title = {Effects of Expansion of Cultivation on Pastoralism as a Food-Security Measure in Longido District, Northern Tanzania},
      journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
      volume = {5},
      number = {6},
      pages = {159-166},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20170506.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20170506.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20170506.12},
      abstract = {The pace at which cultivation is expanding in the pastoral livelihood zones accentuates the need to take a pro-active role in choosing land use practices that increase food production in areas such as Longido District where climate variability renders agricultural production uncertain, but pastoralism as the mainstay of the economy. This study used a structured questionnaire to randomly assess the perceived impact of expansion of cultivation on 165 respondents in three ecological zones, namely Lowlands, Hills, and Mountains of Longido District in Northern Tanzania. Results show that expansion of cultivation results into reduced herd-splitting, a practice that enhances niche specialization grazing land by browsers and grazers. It also leads to loss of grazing land, restricted livestock movement, and escalation of conflicts between pastoralists and farmers. Considering the role pastoralism in the district, these effects are a potential threat to pasture availability, livestock productivity, and food security. To minimize the threat, it would be appropriate for the Longido District authorities, in conjunction with the communities, to establish reserves of grazing lands based on ecological zones. Such areas would have to be protected by traditional rules, coupled with village by laws that shall be strictly enforced as part of a food-security policy.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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    AU  - Francis Xavier Mkanda
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    AB  - The pace at which cultivation is expanding in the pastoral livelihood zones accentuates the need to take a pro-active role in choosing land use practices that increase food production in areas such as Longido District where climate variability renders agricultural production uncertain, but pastoralism as the mainstay of the economy. This study used a structured questionnaire to randomly assess the perceived impact of expansion of cultivation on 165 respondents in three ecological zones, namely Lowlands, Hills, and Mountains of Longido District in Northern Tanzania. Results show that expansion of cultivation results into reduced herd-splitting, a practice that enhances niche specialization grazing land by browsers and grazers. It also leads to loss of grazing land, restricted livestock movement, and escalation of conflicts between pastoralists and farmers. Considering the role pastoralism in the district, these effects are a potential threat to pasture availability, livestock productivity, and food security. To minimize the threat, it would be appropriate for the Longido District authorities, in conjunction with the communities, to establish reserves of grazing lands based on ecological zones. Such areas would have to be protected by traditional rules, coupled with village by laws that shall be strictly enforced as part of a food-security policy.
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