Grassland loss in Tanzania: causes, consequences and control
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Date
2022
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Publisher
Asian Scholars Network
Abstract
Grasslands are an important component of rangelands. The work presented in this
paper is based on spatial statistical analysis of grassland change between 1995 and 2010 using
land use and land cover maps covering the whole of mainland Tanzania and GIS. Further
arguments for discussion in the paper are sourced from literature review. Results show that
grasslands are lost at an alarming rate of almost 1 million hectares annually. Between 1995 and
2010 Tanzania lost more than 14 million hectares of grassland. Main direct causes of grassland
loss are conversion to cultivation and to forest cover, almost at an equal rate of more than 6
million hectares over the 15 year period (about 400,000 ha annually). Bush encroachment is also
an important direct driver of grassland loss. Indirect causes of grassland loss include population
growth, economic growth, challenges in grassland governance and management and
globalization. Consequences of grassland loss include reduced areas for grazing, increased soil
erosion, floods, increased land use conflicts and their repercussions including loss of property and
life. Control measures include those addressing the direct and indirect drivers of change.
However, most of the control measures are ineffective and hence the observed trend of grassland
loss. The paper concludes by suggesting some topics for further research into ways to improve the
effectiveness of the control measures against grassland loss in terms of potential and possibility
of more agricultural intensification, improvements of markets and profits to cultivators, nature of
grassland loss to forest cover, ways to apply existing extensive research on bush encroachment
and, the role of formal and informal institutions that control grassland loss.
Description
2 nd ASNet International Conference on Education, Social Sciences and Technology 2022 (AICEST2022
Keywords
Cultivation, Bush encroachment, Population growth, Management challenges, Land use conflicts, Soil eroding floods