1. Sokoine University of Agriculture Official Publications

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Need for well trained personnel on range resources inventory and monitoring for sustainable utilization of grazing lands in Tanzania
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2018) Mtengeti, Ephraim Joseph
Continuous extensive cultivation, unplanned conservation and unguided grazing have resulted to depletion of soil organic matter, severely threatening soil fertility and damaging soil structure and thus loss of the ecosystem ability to produce commodities and values. Therefore, families are migrating from one place to another to find fertile soils to grow their crops, and pastures and water for the livestock. The conservationists increase force to guard protected areas even those taken from the common unmanaged grazing lands. In the worst cases, bitter confrontations have erupted over land use pressure between migrating pastoralists and crop cultivators and even between the crop growers, livestock keepers and conservationists. Several approaches have been sought in resolving bitter consequences of land use pressure by relocating farmers and pastoral communities or use force to bring harmony in case of confrontations but such approaches cannot repair as quickly as possible the loss of the ecosystem ability to provide commodities and values to the poor communities. The bench mark for resolving such chaos over land use pressure is to build capability of the farmers and pastoral communities on soil and water conservation so as to improve biomass and at least increase vegetation cover to about 75 % throughout the year. This can only be done with well skilled personnel who can efficiently conduct grazing lands resources inventory and monitoring and guide the livestock keepers on sustainable use of these lands. This will increase vegetation cover and thus rain water infiltration, organic carbon, improve soil structure, improve biomass and thus better crop and livestock production. This paper elaborates the importance of well trained personnel on efficient range resources inventory and monitoring for sustainable utilization of the public and private grazing land areas in Tanzania.
Effect of placement depth of planting fertilizer on above and below ground growth characteristics of centrosema pubescens
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2018) Joel, D. A.; Mtengeti E. J.
Livestock production in Tanzania is limited by poor availability of high nutritional forage species from natural grazing land. The leguminous fodder seems to be the best options for livestock feeding due to their high nutritive values especially protein contents, but their productivity is limited by unpredictable rainfall and poor soil fertility particularly in semi-arid regions. Although application of phosphate fertilizers is recommended for increasing productivity of Centrosema pubescens, yet poor agronomic practices especially the optimal fertilizer placement depth constraints its growth performance during establishment. This study tested the influence of Diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer placement depth on above and below ground growth characteristics of Centrosema pubescens during establishment at Magadu Dairy Farm located at Sokoine University of Agriculture. The five fertilizer placement depths i.e. 0 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm, and 20 cm, were compared in terms of growth characteristics of both roots and shoots as well as above ground biomass yield. It was found that the above ground biomass production, shoots growth and root growth characteristics increases with increasing levels of planting placement depth. The optimal depth recommended for maximum yield was at 15 cm. It was suggested that farmers should adhere to recommended fertilizer placement depth for good establishment of Centrosema pubescens.
Herbaceous vegetation response on continuous grazing around Wami Sokoine Charco dam
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2018) Makanya T. M.; Lyimo D.; Lutatenekwa D. L.
This paper provides basic information on the effects of grazing around the charcoal damat Wami Sokoine grazing lands in Mvomero district. Livestock grazing have enormous effect on vegetation composition and structure of grasslands. Different grazing regimes have different ecological outcomes in different ecosystems. The present study determined the effect of grazing close to watering point on herbaceous vegetation composition and structure. Data collected include species composition and distribution, canopy cover percentage, height and root structure of herbaceous species.Results indicated negative impacts grazing close to the watering point on species composition and structure. Grazing pressure and trampling thought to be the cause of few species with the lowest mean of height, root depth and branching in area close to the watering point. More studies are required to understand dynamics of herbaceous species around watering points in grazing areas at different seasons of the year.
Natural resources conservation and livestock interface
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2018) Kavana P. Y.; Sangeda A. Z.
Natural resources conservation and livestock interface is conspicuous in areas adjacent to protected areas where interactions among wildlife, human and livestock commonly occur inside and around protected areas. The interactions commonly result in conflicts mainly the Human- Wildlife Conflict (HWC) and between Livestock and Wildlife with both negative and positive consequences that exist between them. The conflicts are stemmed on competition for limited natural resources when human, livestock and wildlife share the environment. Economic processes influence agricultural and wildlife-based enterprises as sources of income for communities while ecological processes influence the relative efficiencies of livestock and wildlife species in utilizing available natural resources. It has been observed that when livestock and wildlife share the same area, wildlife tend to disappear when livestock production is so specialized where irrigated and fertilized improved pastures, feed supplementation and fenced paddocks are put in place to support livestock production while wildlife left to exist naturally. This consequently result in Human- Wildlife Conflict as both livestock kept by human and wildlife tend to trespass the boundaries that separate them. The negative impacts associated with conflicts between Human and Wildlife compels the governments, wildlife managers, scientists and local communities to find solutions. Principally there are two main approaches in managing human wildlife conflicts that include prevention and mitigation. In addition, there is a new socio-economic approach in alleviating conflict which is based on changing attitudes of communities to wildlife conservation through education and ensuring that affected communities and individuals are active participants in, and enjoy tangible benefits from wildlife conservation. Analysis of the situation of natural resources conservation and livestock interface in Tanzania indicate that continuous livestock grazing system shows signs of rangeland deterioration in communal grazing lands adjacent to protected areas. It was envisaged that the situation might entangle livestock keepers in a vicious cycle of poverty due to losses of livestock under deteriorated rangelands.
Ecological restoration of degraded rangelands in East Africa: success and failure of traditional enclosure
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2018) Saidi, Selemani Ismail
ncreasing rangeland degradation in East Africa due to alarming land use pressure has created a serious debate which calls for quick land rehabilitation. Unsustainable utilization of range resources due to diversification of human economic activities have resulted to poor rangeland productivity. The projected increase in human population by 33% in 2050 implies more demand on scarce range resources which will intensify rangeland degradation if restoration measures are not undertaken. Although, rehabilitation plans have been developed in different countries within East African region, but implementation has been slow due to inadequate financial resources, lack of ecological restoration skills and failure to assimilate traditional range management practices. Poor integration of indigenous knowledge with ecological methods has resulted into limited constructive collaboration between scientists and local communities toward combating environmental degradation. Despite the fact that traditional range management practice using deferred grazing system (enclosure) has successfully conserved environment and improved the livelihood of some pastoral communities elsewhere but the practice is poorly adopted for up-scaling to other communities. Traditional enclosure has been used as rehabilitation strategy to restore severely degraded rangeland through quick vegetation recovery which subsequently reduces soil erosion, increase water infiltration and provide dry season feeds for livestock. This paper therefore reviews factors limiting adaptation and adoption of tradition enclosures for rangeland rehabilitation and hence recommends the best way for integration of local knowledge with ecological restoration methods for sustainable rangeland improvement.
Effects of applying different combinations of fertilizers on growth performance of cynodon nlemfuensis
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2018) Selemani I.S.; Shani G.J.
Scarcity of livestock feeds during dry season in Tanzania raises the concern for maximizing grass production during wet season and conserve for critical dry season feeding. However, poor soil fertility and unpredictable rainfalls are the major limiting factors for maximum grass production. To achieve this, a study was conducted at Magadu dairy farm to assess the effect of different combination levels of fertilizers on growth and yield performance of native stargras (Cynodon nlemfuensis). The four combination levels of farmyard (FYM) manure and NPK were applied randomly to different plots of stargras using the Complete Randomized Design (CRD). The results indicated that, the best performance in terms of tiller number, tiller length and above-ground biomass production were obtained in treatment received 75:25 ratio of NPK and FYM respectively. It was noted that, the above ground biomass yield was significantly low to those treatments received less than 50% NPK. Therefore, anintegration of NPK and FYM at 75:25 and 50:50 ratios which yielded 3.5 and 4 t/ha respectively, are recommended for maximum and profitable production of C. nlemfuensis.
Review of strategies for forage conservation and utilization to improve animal productivity in Tanzania
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2018) Msalya, George
Ruminants are the major animals in Tanzania contributing significantly to both gross and agricultural domestic products of the country. However, it has been shown that the contribution of livestock sector has not reached the expected potential due to various factors. Nutrition is among the major challenges causing low production from ruminants in Tanzania. This is because over 90% of animals depend on communal pastures which are characterized with low nutrients. The common practices of the livestock keepers in the main production systems include feeding the animals in situ and watering them in common water points thus defecation, urination and trampling of fodder further degrade the quality and reduced quantity of forage. In addition, the pastures are not well managed. Furthermore, the situation is exacerbated by effects of climate variability which cause a reduction in forage quantity and quality significantly. This review paper was based on systematic search of literature (SSL) from various sources to understand the common feed utilisation and conservation methods used by livestock keepers in Tanzania. The review established that, grazing is the only form of forage utilization employed by over 90% of all livestock keepers. Other forms of ruminants feeding including the cut and carry of home grown and seasonal natural pastures in the smallholder dairy farming systems (SDFS) mainly found in the highland areas of Tanzania. Hay is the commonest method for feed (forage) conservation in Tanzania. However, it has been discovered that the combined methods of feed conservation and utilization have not improved ruminants nutrition over the years. It is therefore necessary to encourage the farmers (livestock keepers) to opt for integrated methods which can increase the quantity and quality of feeds thereby enhancing animal productivity.
Vegetation composition and productivity in reserved grazing area of Lubungo village in Mvomero district
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022) Tito E. Mdegela,; Ephraim J. Mtengeti; George Msalya
Most reserved grazing areas within the villages in Tanzania are continuously grazed and are heavily encroached by bushes. An inventory of 8.4ha reserved grazing land resources of Lubungo village in Mvomero District was conducted towards the end of the dry season of 2018, to assess pasture species composition, ground vegetation cover, dry mater yield, tree density and canopy cover The soil physical, chemical and plant seedbank characteristics were also assessed. Line interception method was used to assess pasture species composition and ground cover. From each line interception sampling unit of 10m tape measure, two quadrat frame each 0.25m 2 were thrown at random in left and right side of he sampling unit to sample desirable pastures and soil for determination of the pasture dry matter yield and soil physical and chemical properties. One soil sample at a depth of 5cm and 30cm x 30 cm wide was collected for soil seedbank determination in the bare soil patch around each line interception sampling unit in order to be sure if the grazing land is rested wouldn’t come back with desirable vegetation. Eight parallel lines interception sampling units were fitted in each transect line of 700 m at 70 m interval. Three transect lines 40 m apart were established in the reserved grazing land. The Point Centered Quarter (PCQ) method was used to determine tree density and their canopy caver. The ground cover of desirable pasture, undesirable pasture species, and litter was 67.7 %, 10.5% and 9.4 % respectively. The bare patches covered 12.3 % of the grazing land. The most dominant grass species was Enteropogon macrostachyus followed by Bothriocloa insculpta and Heteropogon contortus. Soil bulk density, pH, organic carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium were 1.4g/cm -3 , 6.3, 1.14%, 0.09%, 0.89 mg/kg and 0.33 g/kg, respectively. A total of 11 dicotyledonous species mainly forbs and 9 monocotyledonous species with only four perennial grasses were revealed from the soil seedbank. Dry matter yield of the desirable pasture was 806.8 kg DM per ha and tree density was 1500/ha with the total canopy cover of 63.49%. The most dominant tree species was Combretum collinum. The vegetation type of the grazing land was therefore Combretum- Enteropogon bushed grassland. From this inventory results it can be concluded that the reserved grazing area had very low pasture productivity, poor soil seedbank and high bush encroachment. In order to improve pasture productivity therefore there is a need of bush clearing and reseeding the reserved Lubungo village grazing land.
Integrated agro-aquaculture: the role of water from fish ponds on growth performance of cenchrus ciliaris
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022) Guranywa, V.T.; Lamtane, H.A; Selemani, I
This study assesses the contribution of water from fish ponds on growth performance of African fox grass, Cenchrus ciliaris. Twelve plots each with a dimension of 2 m by 6 m were prepared and planted with African fox grass. Six plots received water from fish ponds (Treatment one) and another six plots were irrigated using stream water (Treatment two). The distance between one plot and another was 50 centimeters while the distance between the two treatments was 3 m apart and each plot was sown with 40 cuttings of Cenchrus ciliaris. Each plot received 40 liters of water during morning and evening hours (7:00 am and 6:00 pm). The experiment lasted for 72 days when all plots were harvested. Soil samples were collected from each plot and taken to soil laboratory for further analysis. The following parameters were determined: total Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Organic Carbon. During harvesting the wet weight for above ground biomass was measured using spring balance. The nutritive values of the pasture samples were determined using the Standard Analytical Procedure. Results showed that there were slightly higher total Nitrogen and Organic Carbon from plots received water from fish ponds. However, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in all parameters measured between the two treatments. Although there were no significant differences between the treatments, water effluents from fish ponds can be utilized for irrigating pasture as one way or recycling nutrients. It is recommended that further study should be conducted during the dry season because the present study coincided with the onset of rainy season.
Vulnerability and adaptation to climate change; implications for policy and practice in Tanzania.
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022) Sangeda Anthony Zozimus
Climate change has significant socio economic impacts in Tanzania, in particular through floods, droughts and changes in rainfall pattern. Most literature on climate change impacts and vulnerability, report the idea that countries, economic sectors, social groups and individuals differ in their degree of vulnerability to climate change. This is partly true due to the fact that changes in temperature and precipitation occur unevenly and that impacts are unevenly distributed. Drivers of vulnerability inTanzania include both socio-economic (population and conflicts) and biophysical (infrastructure, water resources, soil erosion & land degradation, pest & diseases). It is assumed that many regions will be capable of adapting to climate change, but that poorer ones will face difficulties. It is therefore argued that the study of adaptation to climate change should begin with the study of social and economic vulnerability. In this case, vulnerability and adaptation are important issues in climate change debate. This is because always vulnerability is defined in terms of capacity to adapt, and capacity to respond to stress is a starting point for climate change impact analysis. Climate vulnerability and adaptation carry important lessons for assessing Tanzania’s preparedness for human induced climate change, and an understanding of climate variability provides important context for discussions in this study. Decreasing the vulnerability of socio-economic sectors and ecological systems to natural climate variability through a more informed choice of policies, practices and technologies will, in many cases, reduce the long-term vulnerability of these systems to climate change. Based on these issues, literature review was done to prepare this paper that provide an overview of vulnerability status and adaptation initiatives in order to inform policy and practice in the country.
Kongwa weed (astropomoea hyoscyamoides) a threat to some grazing lands in North Eastern Tanzania.
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022) Ephraim J. Mtengeti
A short study on the evaluation of the plant structure and seed production of Kongwa Weed (Astropomoea hyoscyamoides) was conducted in Mzeri Hill Ranch in August, 2017. Two transect lines running diagonally were fitted in the grazing field of 2.5 ha. The field was partly established with Cenchrus ciliaris, Chloris gayana and some parts was dominated by natural grasses mainly Cynodon nlemfuensis, Panicum infestum and Urochloa sp. The size of every sampling point was 2 m x 2 m and were 20 m apart along the diagonal line. A total of twelve sampling points was obtained in each diagonal line. In each sampling point only one mature tallest Kongwa weed plant was picked at random. Plant height of the main stem, total branches of the plant, and number of fruits from one of the selected branches were recorded instantly. Total number of branches per plant ranged from 4 – 26, while the height of the main branch ranged from 71 – 203 cm. The fruits per branch ranged from 3 – 275. The weed was not found in areas dominated by Cenchrus ciliaris and Cynodon nlemfuensis grasses unlike for Chloris gayana, Panicum infestum and Urochloa mosambensesis grasses. Since kongwa weed is under Convolvulaceae family whose fruit has 4 seeds, it can be concluded that with favorable environment factors a Kongwa weed plant can produce up to 28, 600 seeds per season. Despite Kongwa weed aggressiveness in terms of seed productivity, as was shown in the current study, certain pasture species such as Cenchrus ciliaris and Cynodon nlemfuensis may reduce its abundance unless they are overgrazed. Further studies on the influence of land use and plant association on the spread of Kongwa weed are recommended.
Wildlife, Livestock and Human interface in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area: A review
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022) Abiud L. Kaswamila
Competition for land in rangeland areas which in most cases have limited livelihood options is a major obstacle to socio-economic development of the pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. Unfortunately, at the time that there are increasing calls for agriculture-led growth in Africa, there is also increased international awareness of the importance of biodiversity conservation, both of which are land-based. The link between rural development goals, especially poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation, has for a long time been debated in the scientific literature with opposing views on whether or not the two can simultaneously be achieved. This situation is evident in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) in north east Tanzania where people co-exist with wildlife and livestock and where other livelihood options such as cultivation is not allowed and grazing is restricted in some areas (within the crater and in the Northern Highland Forest Reserve). This paper reviews the human- wildlife-livestock interface in this unique protected area with international biodiversity conservation importance which thrives to achieve three goals of conservation of biodiversity, tourism, and community development of the Maasai, Datoga and Hadzabe; the three main ethnic groups within the NCA. The findings indicate that for the past six decades since her establishment, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) has been experiencing a number of challenges and success stories. The major challenges among others have been increased human- conservation conflicts, disease outbreaks, climate change, increased alien invasive species, and increased human-wildlife- livestock population. On the other hand, the NCAA has been successful in achieving her goals of increased revenues through tourism, conservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage, continued co-existence of humans and animals, support of socio- economic development programmes, and improving the community livelihood. For NCAA to continue surviving for many years to come requires innovative ideas and strategies. Among others should include integrating ethno-modern science range management, increased involvement of community in major issues affecting their livelihoods, strengthening research, destocking, and use of participatory general management plans.
Using the rural living lab methodology (RLLM) to enhance community participation in rangeland management
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022) Khamis Shaban Mwinyimbegu
Community participation in rangeland management is a tricky and controversial process. Current practices of community participation in rangeland management in Africa are abound with dissatisfactions and frustrations on both sides of practitioners and local communities. This paper proposes the application of the rural living lab methodology (RLLM) as an alternative to the traditional methodology of community participation in development programmes. The rural living lab methodology is a new methodology in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is basically a user- centric approach that empowers local communities with appropriate knowledge and skills for sustainable management of rangeland resources. The methodology facilitates the integration of local and external experiences through collaborative research, innovation, and sharing of the new methods that empowers the local communities. The paper’s introduction is followed by an overview of current models of community participation in rangeland management, outline of the models’ deficiencies, and explanation of how the rural living lab methodology could be a viable alternative for sustainable rangeland management in Sub- Saharan Africa.
Influence of seeding rate on growth performance and yield of early maturing sorghum
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022-12) Oliver Ngonyani Baltazar; Ismail Saidi Selemani
Heavy grazing pressure in Tanzanian semi-arid rangelands coupled with climate change and variability has resulted into severe decline in forage production and changes in vegetation composition. To increase forage biomass production in the face of climate change and variability, climate resilient fodder crops such as early maturing sorghum have been recommended in arid and semi-arid regions. However, paucity of information on the best agronomic practices especially the optimal seeding rate and row spacing fostered the need to carry out research on growth performance and yield of early maturing sorghum. The experiment was conducted at Magadu Dairy Farm to assess the influence of seeding rate on growth performance and yield of early maturing sorghum. The experiment adopted the Complete Randomized Design (CRD), where different seeding rate (such as 8kg/ha, 12kg/ha, 16kg/ha, 20kg/ha) were assigned randomly and replicated three times making a total of 12 subplots. The row spaces were also varied in reciprocal order with seeding rate (60cm in 8kg/ha, 50cm in 12kg/ha, 40cm in 16kg/ha and 30cm in 20kg/ha). Parameters measured were; number of plants germinated, circumference of the plant, Dry matter (DM) yield and height of the plants. The data were subjected to One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using SAS program of 2014 to analyze the effect of seeding rate on growth attributes and yield of early maturing sorghum. The study established the positive correlation of seeding rate stimulate and number of plant as well as plant heights. On the contrary, seeding rate was found to be inversely proportion to plant thickness and number of leaves per plant. The above ground biomass was found to increase with increasing seeding rate up to 22.20 tonnes per ha and slightly declined at the highest seeding rate. We recommend for further studies on nutritive values and palatability of fodder sorghum varieties to livestock.
Morphological characteristics and yield of three brachiaria cultivars subjected to different eco- climatic zones of Tanzania
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022-12) Ismail Saidi Selemani
Livestock production in Tanzania is limited by scarcity of forage resources, the situation acerbated by the effects of climate change. Replacement of high quality forages with low quality forages have resulted into low milk production in the country (4 to 5 L) which is below the potential of producing at least 15 L per cow per day. Although, high yield fodder grasses such as Brachiaria have been recommended as climate smart fodder grass, little information have been documented in Tanzania particularly the growth performance of these grasses across different eco-climatic zones. The current study tested the performance of three cultivars of Brachiaria (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piata, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraes and Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk) at three different eco-climatic zones (Humid, sub-humid and semi-arid conditions). The study used the Factorial arrangement where interaction between eco- climatic zones and Brachiaria cultivars were subjected to Two Ways ANOVA. In cases where significant differences were found, the Post Hoc tests were performed using the Duncan Multiple Range Test of SAS 2014 to separate mean values. The study revealed that, sub-humid climate was superior in terms of all growth attributes and biomass yield compared to semi-arid zone which was characterized with poor growth performance. Interestingly, B. decumbens cv. Basilisk was relatively shorter grass but scored the highest values for plant number and biomass yield. Surprisingly, B. brizantha cv Xaraes exhibited relatively higher number of tillers per plant in semi-arid condition besides its relatively poor performance. However, further studies on nutritive values and palatability are recommended for these Brachiaria cultivars.
Chemical composition and physical characteristics of standing hay and foggage along the pasture field in Morogoro sub-urban, Tanzania
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2022-12) Venance S. Tarimo; Ephraim J. Mtengeti
In-situ forage conservation in the form of standing hay is the commonest and cheapest form of natural pasture conservation by most agro-pastoral and pastoral communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Standing hay is over matured and un-harvested pasture (mainly annual grasses). On the other hands, excessively overstays standing hay in the field until the first rain a shower of the next season is referred as foggage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritive value of the standing hay and foggage of natural pastures plot rested for entire wet (growing) and dry periods for nine months until the first rains. Standing hay samples were taken three months before the rains while those of foggage were obtained three weeks after the first rains. Ten samples were taken at random from a standing hay and foggage for determination of botanical and nutritive composition. Standing hay and foggage did not differ significantly (P ≥ 0.05) in terms of dry matter (DM) content (85.9 % vs 83.1 %), Crude protein (3.8 % vs 3.3%), in vitro dry matter digestibility (34 % vs 32 %), metabolizable energy (5.3 vs 5.2 MJ/kg DM). However, standing hay had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) less Neutral Detergent Fiber (80 vs 82 %) and more leaf:stem ratio (2:1 vs 1.4:1) than oggage. In terms of organoleptic test scores standing hay and foggage were not significantly (P ≥ 0.05) in touch and pollution but foggage had significantly ((P≤ 0.05) mouldy appearance and bad smell than standing hay. It can be concluded that tropical natural pastures standing hay and foggage have low nutritive value yet the foggage is very fibrous which can reduce the productivity of grazing animals.
Livestock population and role of land use planning on sustainable grazing land management: case of Tanganyika district, Katavi region
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2023) Hieronimo, Proches; Mbungu, Winfred
The aim of the study was to assess the trend of livestock population and contribution of land use planning process towards development and implementation of sustainable grazing land management, reconciling land use with environmental concerns and resolve potential conflicts between sectoral interests and potential uses as well as increasing land tenure security and clarify customary land tenure of grazing lands (communal lands) as per requirement of national policies and laws. The study employed Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF) as tools to realize the study aims. Results from the livestock data in the district show that there is an increasing number of livestock, and in particular cattle increased from about 39600 in the year 2006/2007 to about 316651 recorded in the year 2016/2017 in the Tanganyika district. This signifies that the district experienced almost 700% increase in cattle from 2006 to 2017. In the year 2018, Lwega village located within the Mwese ward contributed 20950 cattle (55%) out of the 37834 in the Mwese ward. Land use planning process was carried out in the Lwega village as pilot village to enable setting aside areas for various uses including grazing land and issuance of Certificate of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCRO) in grazing land and other communal lands. The process enabled setting aside grazing land of total area of 12,955 ha (which is 26% of the whole village land) for the village with a total of 12,736 Livestock (with a total of 11,359 cows) by 2020 and which is expected to have a total of 15,193 Livestock (with a total of 13,313 cows) by 2030 based on the number of livestock found within new village boundary which was resurveyed in 2020. The requirement of grazing land was 20,579 ha which would have been sufficient for the planning period of 10 years i.e. from 2020 to 2030. This has a deficit of 7,625 ha and therefore this calls for a further study which will provide recommendations for interventions to improve rangeland quality and advise on restoration techniques of the currently degraded rangeland including enrichment planting and identify species of interest taking into account their palatability, intake, digestibility, and nutrient content for future reseeding programs or other measures including destocking.
GIS application in rangeland management in Tanzania: a systematic review
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2023) Nzunda, Emmanuel F.; Yusuph, Amri S.
A good proportion of the aspects of range resource management are amenable to GIS technology because range resource management integrates spatial and non-spatial aspects of data and information for which GIS is best suited. Whether this amenability is exploited was questionable and needed evidence- based research to confirm. The current paper presents the results of a systematic review of the application of GIS in rangeland management in Tanzania. The specific objectives of the study were: (1) to assess the distribution of the publications by year of publication; (2) to examine the distribution of the publications by subject area; (3) to analyse the relationships among key words used in titles and abstracts of the publications; (4) to describe details of a sample of selected publications, and; (5) to evaluation the distribution of publications by institution of the authorship. The study used the PRISMA method in searching, selecting and analysing the publications. Records were retrieved from Google scholar, Scopus, and science direct. We included 80 English language studies done in Tanzania for the first four specific objectives and 136 for the fifth specific objective. There is an increasing trend of application of GIS from 1 study in 1993 and years close by to 11 publications in 2021. About 34%, 31%, 27% and 8% of the publications applied GIS respectively in environmental science, earth and planetary sciences, agricultural and biological sciences and social sciences. The words μchange¶, μaUea¶ and μTan]ania¶ ZeUe Whe moVW fUeqXenWl\ XVed in WiWleV and abstracts. Furthermore, words in titles and abstracts formed about five clusters representing study area (e.g. Tanzania), method of analysis (e.g. remote sensing, assessment, data), topic of study (e.g. change, land use, land, conservation) and land use (e.g. grassland, woodland, forest). Most words clustered close WogeWheU foUming a meVhZoUk bXW Whe ZoUd μconflicW¶ ZaV Whe moVW distant from the rest of the meshwork. GIS data sets used included land use land use/cover (LULC) layer, landscape features (e.g. rivers, roads, topographic variables) and socioeconomic data. Most publications came from Sokoine University of Agriculture, University of Dar es Salaam and Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology while the fewest came from Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Hohenheim University and the University of British Columbia respectively. It is concluded that GIS is increasingly being applied to rangeland management. However, social sciences apply GIS the least. Tanzanian institutions lead in application of GIS technology, which means it is no longer foreign expertise. It is recommended that all fields apply GIS wherever appropriate. In particular, why GIS is least applied in social sciences aspects of rangeland management needs further investigation.
The use of a heritage cattle breed as an adaptation strategy to new challenges imposed by climate change in Chihuahuan desert rangelands in the Southwest United States
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2023) Nyamuryekung’e, Shelemia; Cibils, Andres F.; Estell, Richard E.; Utsumi, Santiago A.; McIntosh, Matthew M.; Spiegal, Sheri
This review synthesizes research comparing conventional (Angus X Hereford; AH) vs. heritage (Raramuri Criollo; RC) cattle foraging behavior, heat tolerance, and cow-calf interactions using telemetry devices in the context of determining adaptation strategies related to climate change effects. The AH and RC cows grazed separately in two adjacent pastures in a crossover design during summer and winter for three consecutive years. Rectal fecal samples were collected twice (day 14 and 28) in each experimental period and fecal-DNA (fDNA) meta-barcoding analyses were performed to characterize diet compositions. A subgroup of individuals in each herd was fitted with sensors to track their location (GPS collars), body temperature (iButton thermal loggers), and cow-calf contact events (proximity loggers). The RC cows traveled farther, spent less time resting, more time grazing, and explored larger areas than AH cows. The RC cows showed a stronger preference for ecological patches with greater shrub density and avoided areas with a high density of black grama (an ecologically sensitive forage species) during winter (period when vegetation is most vulnerable). Our fDNA study revealed that RC cows select less black grama and more mesquite than their AH counterparts, which corroborated our vegetation electivity findings. During summer, RC cows maintained a lower internal body temperature than their AH counterparts, providing evidence of heat tolerance in RC. The RC calves appeared to impoVe feZeU conVWUainWV on WheiU damV¶ moYemenW paWWeUnV; nursing RC dams covered a daily grazing area almost three times larger than AH dams. Differences in foraging strategies documented in this review support our hypothesis that RC (heritage breed) cattle are better equipped to cope with hotter and drier climates and are better able to adjust their grazing behavior according to forage availability.
Rangeland management practices in changing environment: implications for land use and climate change in selected African countries
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2023-04) Kilemo,Dominico Benedicto
Rangeland Management entails rangeland resource management for improved animal production and other ecosystem services. While Africa is endowed with spectacular rangelands which support biodiversity, animal production and people's livelihoods, they face pressure from anthropogenic activities such as overgrazing which leads to land degradation and conversion of rangelands into other land uses. Furthermore, the quality of pastures fed to livestock has implications on feed efficiency and methane gas emission. Rangeland management interventions which enhance the carbon sequestration function of rangelands and reduce enteric methane emission from livestock have a potential of mitigating global warming and climate change. This paper reviews different rangeland management approaches for animal production and assesses their contribution to climate change in some African countries. Such approaches include (i) Community Based Natural Resource Management; (ii) Land and water use planning; (iii) marketing and alternative income; and(iv) wildlife and nature tourism. The findings suggest that, the adoption of SRM approaches is very low with less than 25 cases across Africa. This suggests that the existing SRM interventions have had little contribution to climate change mitigation. The 74 implementation of approaches such as village land use planning, legalization of the customary land right to grazing areas, establishment of mini ranches and the establishment of improved pasture species with low GHG emission will significantly contribute to sustainable range management and climate change mitigation in Africa.

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