Browsing by Author "Mbwambo, Jonathan Stephen"

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Adoption of climate-smart crop and livestock production in Africa: are the key pillars included?
(University of Nairobi, 2023) Mbwambo, Jonathan Stephen
Studies have shown that climate change has a significant effect on the rural agricultural landscape with the equilibrium of agrarian and forest ecosystems becoming increasingly unstable and agricultural-dependent livelihoods in rural and peri-urban areas weakening very rapidly. To address these and related challenges, many countries have attempted Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). The approach has been proven to address the intertwined challenge of increasing agricultural productivity while at the same time maintaining sustainable levels of carbon emissions from agriculture. Despite its many benefits, its adoption rate in Africa varies widely across the continent. In some countries, adoption of important CSA practices is as low as 10% and in others over 60%. Using scoping, narrative and descriptive approaches in the analysis of literature, this study has demonstrated that Climate-Smart Agriculture technologies are effective in improving food security and overall land productivity. However, there are still big gaps in quantifying the actual contribution of CSA technologies to climate change mitigation and adaptation. The study further revealed that while various factors such as household characteristics, land ownership and gender were considered in the introduction and adoption of CSA technologies, little attention was given to the key pillars of CSA including indigenous knowledge systems, resource endowment, farmers preferences, among others. The study recommends that, in order to enhance and the adoption of CSA technologies, more knowledge is needed on the inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems and practices in the development of CSA technologies. The study recommends further that, in order to position CSA in policies and programs for agriculture transformation, it is also important to undertake studies on the capacity of CSA to sequester carbon and how this may be included in climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. Finally, the study recommends the inclusion of women in the design and dissemination of CSA technologies.
Agrobiodiversity and food security among smallholder Farmers in uluguru mountains, Tanzania
(2007) Mbwambo, Jonathan Stephen
The study was done in Uluguru Mountains to determine the linkage between agrobiodiversity and household food security among smallholder farmers. Specifically the study sought to: identify the major farming systems including the management and organizational aspects of agrobiodiversity and the associated indigenous practices; determine household food security status and coping strategies among smallholder farmers in the study area; analyse' factors influencing household food security in the study area; determine crop diversity; and analyse socio-economic factors influencing agrobiodiversity and household food security. Using PRA, questionnaire surveys and diversity inventory from four villages and 120 randomly selected households, the study found that food security in the study area depends largely on the diversity of crops maintained by the households. The study showed further that food security as a concept is locally perceived and therefore what constitutes food security may be something that goes beyond conventional thinking. The study concludes that communities have inherent abilities to deal effectively with vulnerabilities based on their past experiences and anticipated outcomes. Such experiences and outcomes bring, among other things, agrobiodiversity for household food security. While food security perceptions and food preferences may be quite localized, they point to the fact that interventions to solve problems of food insecurity may only succeed when local perceptions and preferences are considered. The study draws a number of policy and research implications including the: development of policies and strategies away from mono cropping to diversity as a I means for sustainable food and the overall livelihood security of the smallholder farmers in the study area and areas with similar conditions; development of policiesiii for awareness raising in terms of the value of agrobiodiversity for sustainable agricultural production and the need to protect potentially useful crops and the value of agrobiodiversity as a cultural heritage. The study ends by proposing areas for further research including the establishment of the level of genetic diversity needed for ecologically sound and economically sustainable agriculture; documentation of seed exchange systems and minor and less known crops and their contribution to household food security. Other recommendations include genetic mapping and the role of market integration on agrobiodiversity.
Studies on the influence of tree tenure on the adoption of agroforestry practices in Uluguru mountains, Tanzania
(Research Gate, 2012) Ruheza, Sosthenes; Tryphone, George Muhamba; Mbwambo, Jonathan Stephen; Khamis, Zuena K.; Swella, George; Mushobozy, Deus K.
On-farm tree retention formed the basis for the present day agroforestry systems in many traditions. In the present study, we assessed the influence of tree tenure on the adoption of agroforestry practices in Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania. Results showed that most of the farmers (92%) were involved in activities related to tree planting and/or tree retaining with the number of trees planted in existing farmlands ranging between 150 to more than 300. Young respondents planted more trees compared to middle and old age groups. Household labour unit level had an influence on the number and species of plant trees planted. The study revealed that men were significantly more involved in tree planting than women. It was also found by this study that most of the respondents (82.2%) were planting trees in their farms mainly for economic gains through timber production, while 13.3% and only 4.5% of the respondents were planting trees for soil conservation and for moisture conservation respectively. Therefore, more efforts need to be directed to planting tree species that have economic benefits to farmers in order to speed up the rate of agroforestry adoption. Perceived benefits of agroforestry practices in the study areas were for its easiness in the management of trees with other crops (59%), conservation of moisture (28%) and (13%) of the respondents said see no benefit of agroforestry system.
The role of local knowledge and organizations in sustainable conservation of biodiversity: a case study of Udzungwa mountains, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2000) Mbwambo, Jonathan Stephen
To some extent the conservation of biodiversity in Tanzania is currently vested on local communities. This strategy is clearly stipulated in the National Forest Policy of 1998. The success of this strategy depends largely on people's local knowledge, organizations and their underlying institutions. Local knowledge and organizations constitute essential component for attempts to facilitate local level engagement in conservation and utilization of natural resources. However local knowledge and organizations were neglected in the past until recently when their importance have been stressed in rural development and conservation of natural resources in particular. This study was conducted to identify different local knowledge systems, organizations and their underlying institutions in the management and conservation of Udzungwa Mountains National Park. Specifically the study sought to: assess changes occurred in the forest resource base over time, identify and assess the role of the existing local organizations (both internally and externally sponsored) and their underlying institutions in biodiversity conservation and to assess the state of conflict between externally and internally initiated organizations. Other specific objectives include identification of indigenous practices and their role in the conservation of biodiversity in Udzungwa Mountains National Park, identification of socio-economic factors including gender, which enable or constrain local people participation in biodiversity conservation and propose a model that will ensure sustainable conservation of biodiversity for Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The study was carried under two phases. Phase one of the study involved Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques in two villages namely Msolwa and Sonjo. Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques were designed to quickly generate information about local conditions, livelihood and social formation around Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The second phase involved structured questionnaire surveys as the major tool for data collection. Questionnaire survey was done in four villages namely Msolwa, Sonjo, Ichonde and Kisawasawa. The sample size in each village was 5 percent of the total number of households. Other tools used were checklist and participant observation. Data collected by using Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques in phase one were analyzed with the help of the communities and the results were communicated back to them. The Statistical Package for Social Science was used to analyze quantitative data whereas Content and Structural-Functional Analysis were used for qualitative data. The study revealed the presence of various internally initiated organizations. These include village governments, village Community Conservation Committees, fire brigades, women groups, religious organizations, primary schools and cooperative unions. Ranking of these organizations by farmers indicated that village government, village Community Conservation Committee, fire brigades are more effective in decision making in joint management of natural resources in Udzungwa Mountains National Park. About 49 percent of respondents described the role of these organizations as being both tree planting and enforcement of rules and regulations. The study also identified two externally sponsored organizations, namely World Wildlife Fund and Tanzania National Parks. More than 85 percent of the respondents said that there is no conflict between externally and internally sponsored organizations. Similarly more than 75 percent of the respondents participate in tree planting and that both men and women participate^ equally in tree planting. Pollarding, pruning and the use of ash against termites are some of the indigenous management practices pointed out by most respondents. The presence of traditional institutions such as Bokela, traditional healing and sacred groves in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park is the evidence that the resource base has been protected and conserved by the local people even before the advent of externally sponsored institutions. The study concludes by saying that local people could work and provide the means for sustainable management and conservation of Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The study recommends strengthening the present agroforestry program through joint ownership of tree nurseries, formation of agroforestry demonstration plots and more emphasis should be put on education and extension. The study also recommends carrying out inventory and identification of traditional medicines to ascertain their distribution for effective conservation. Carrying out effective ecological monitoring and evaluation are other recommendations of the study.