1. Sokoine University of Agriculture Official Publications

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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.
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.
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.
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.
Effects of fertilizer application and season on the yield and quality of natural pasture at Magadu Dairy Farm, Sokoine University of Agriculture
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2025) Tarimo Venance S.; Mtengeti Ephraim J.
More than 90% of Tanzania national ruminant livestock herd thrive on natural pastures. Improvement of natural forage productivity as well as its quality, would have a significant impact on the production of this national ruminant livestock herd. Fertilizer application as a management tool to improve tropical natural pastures has rarely been reported. A study was therefore conducted to test fertilizer as a management tool to improve natural pastures on an existing one hectare of mixed natural pastures, mainly of natural grasses at Magadu Dairy Farm of Sokoine University of Agriculture. The main aim of this study was to find out if fertilizer application can be to improve the yield and quality of the natural pastures. The one-hectare plot was divided into two sub- plots. The first sub-plot was used in the short rains, while the second sub-plot was used in the long rains as the study area falls under bimodal rainfall regime. The pasture in each sub- plot was mowed down at the beginning of each rain season and thereafter the sub-plot was again divided into two equal sub-sub- plots. One sub-sub-plot was applied with a mixture of nitrogenous (174 kg N/ha) and phosphorus (92 kg P/ha) fertilizers at once and the second was a control. Pastures at both rainfall regimes were harvested at 50 % flowering and thus, pasture regrowth was harvested at 90 days old in the short rains those in the short rains was harvested at 65 days old. Dry mater yield estimation was conducted by throwing a quadrat of 0.25 m 2 randomly ten times at an equal distance along the two diagonals of each sub-sub plot. Pasture samples were collected and sent to the laboratory for oven drying, chemical composition analysis and determination of in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility (IVDMD and IVOMD). Fertilizers application increased significantly (P≤ 0.01) the natural pastures dry matter yield. regardless of the rain seasons. Fertilizers improved crude protein of natural pastures significantly (P≤0.001). Short rain season natural pastures had significantly (P≤ 0.001) higher NDF contents than those of long rain season regardless of fertilizer application. The energy contents ME (MJ/kg DM) for both fertilized and unfertilized long rain forages were significantly (P≤ 0.001) higher than all pastures of the short rain. Long rain fertilized pastures had significantly (P≤ 0.001) higher IVOMD than unfertilized forages of the same season. In the short rain fertilized forages had significantly (P≤ 0.001) higher IVOMD than unfertilized pasture. The long rain fertilized forages had significantly (P≤ 0.001) higher IVOMD than all other pastures. From this study it can be concluded that fertilizer application significantly improves both the quantity and quality of natural pastures and that fertilizers can be applied at any season as long as there is sufficient soil moisture. However, harvesting at 50% flowering compromised forage quality in short rains due to extended period to flowering stage of growth as compared to long rains.
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.
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.
Herders’ local knowledge and capacity development needs for sustainable rangeland management in Tanzania
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2025) Sangeda Anthony Z.; Selemani Ismail S.; Nindi Stephen J.; Looloitai Lilian
Pastoralists in Tanzania are facing a myriad of threats and challenges in managing rangelands. One of the concrete ways of responding to these challenges and myths about pastoralism is through training, advocacy and public awareness. The study was conducted to examine the existing capacity among pastoralists on rangeland management practices in seven districts (zones) which represent the diverse pastoral ecosystems in Tanzania. The sites vary significantly in terms of climatic conditions which are largely differentiated by rainfall availability and distribution. A total of 221 pastoralists were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The study used cross sectional design in data collection. More information was triangulated through Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using SPSS and content analysis, respectively. It was found that most pastoralists have rich indigenous knowledge yet they received limited training on rangeland related issues. The existing local knowledge related to management of rangeland resources, were found poorly integrated into management practices such as reseeding, bush control, soil and moisture conservation. The study established further that pastoral communities require capacity development in the areas of rain water harvesting, soil and moisture conservation, control of invasive weeds and adaptation strategies to climate change. Therefore, it is recommended to engage local communities by building their capacity on rangeland ecological carrying capacity, diversification of livelihoods strategies, fodder management and establishment of improved pastures.
Influence of finishing strategies on carcass composition and meat quality characteristics of Boran crossbred bulls
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2025) Maro Ezekiel P.; Laswai Germana H.; Sangeda Anthony Z.; Selemani Ismail S.; Shem Martin N.
This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of finishing practices and slaughter periods on carcass composition and quality of meat from Boran crossbred bulls. Fifty-four (2.5 – 3 years old, 205 ± 1.89 kg initial body weight) bulls were assigned/subjected to three different finishing practices; 18 bulls were on sole grazing (P1), 18 bulls were on supplementation after grazing (P2) and 18 bulls were kept on feedlot (P3). After that, 9 bulls (3) from each practice in the same finishing period were slaughtered at 45 days-S1, 60 days-S2, and 75 days-S3. Carcass and non-carcass components and composition were evaluated from slaughtered bulls. Carcass pH was measured at 24 h and 48 h post-slaughter at the LTL muscle and cooking loss and shear force values were evaluated for 4-, 8-, 12-, and 16-days aged meat. The findings showed that finishing practice and the slaughter period significantly (P<0.05) influenced the internal fat, heart-lung-liver, carcass length, and chest depth. The fat thickness, internal fat, Heart-lung-liver, four feet, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) full and empty were affected by finishing practices with bulls on P3 registering the highest fat thickness, internal fat and heart-lung-liver followed by P2 and P1 in that order. Meat pH (5.21-5.49) was similar (P˃0.05) in finishing practices and slaughter periods. Carcass length, chest depth, hide, git empty, tenderness, and a* colour significantly (p<0.05) interacted by finishing practice and slaughter period. the L* colour intensities were higher in bulls slaughtered at S3 (45.96) than in S2 bulls (41.29) and a* values vary significantly (p<0.05) with finishing practices. The Boran crossbred bulls showed improved tenderness with bulls on P3 (41.71N) having the lowest shear force values followed by P1 and P2 (44.41N and 45.4 N) with similar values. overall, bulls on P3 have heavier non-carcass components and better meat quality properties than those on P1 and P2. In conclusion, carcass components and meat quality characteristics were better in feedlot-finished bulls at 75 days of slaughter and aged 12 days. For increased beef quality, livestock farmers are encouraged to finish feedlot bulls for 75 days and age meat for 12 days. The findings of this study need further investigation into the influence of finishing strategies on fatty acid content and consumer health perceptions.
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.
Integrated agricultural development strategies: assessing forage and seed supply chain dynamics at vikuge pasture seed farm, Kibaha, Tanzania
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2025) Salehe Farida; Ngowi Edwin
This study investigated the integrated agricultural development practices at Vikuge Pasture Seed Farm in Kibaha, Tanzania, focusing on the supply and commercialization of forage and seeds. It identified critical challenges that hampered effective commercialization and sought to elucidate how the farm’s practices influenced local agricultural dynamics. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 96 respondents through key informant interviews and focus group discussions, supplemented by a thorough literature review. A market system and value chain approach were adopted to analyze the flow of inputs from production to consumption, aiming to uncover the interconnected activities that enhance economic viability. Statistical findings revealed a remarkable 25% increase in annual revenue attributed to innovative agronomic practices and market-oriented strategies, underscoring the strong economic feasibility of the farm's operations. Qualitative insights from the focus group discussions highlighted the socio-economic implications of integrated practices, indicating improved access to high-quality forage seeds, enhanced livestock productivity, and positive ripple effects on local economies. Participants reported increased income and job creation, validating the transformative potential of integrated agricultural development initiatives. This study not only contributes to the understanding of commercialization strategies in Tanzanian agriculture but also provides empirical support for policy frameworks aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices that can elevate local livelihoods and economic resilience.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Rangeland resources use and monitoring for sustainable development in Tanzania
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2025) Mtengeti Ephraim J.
Tanzania rangelands covering nearly 50% of the total land mass of 94 mill ha is endowed with a range of natural resources that provide diverse goods and services. Rangelands provide a number of ecosystem services including clean air, consumable products such as red meat, milk, fiber, water and medicinal plants. Also, they non-consumptive services such as recreation and tourism and acts as a carbon dioxide sink and thus sustaining economic development of the country. The rangeland water catchment areas of Tanzania provide water that generates over 55 % of Tanzania’s hydropower. The livestock sector employs about 50% of her population, equivalent to 4.6 million households. The travel and tourism compititiveness index of 2021 by the World Economic Forum ranked Tanzania 1st in Africa and 12th worldwide regarding the quality of its nature- based tourism resources. As a result, tourism value chain contributes nearly 17 % of the country GDP and is a third lagest of direct employement sector with over 850,000 workers. Tourism has been accounted for over one-quater of the country ‘s foreign earnings in 2019, representing USD 2,605 mill. Production of red meat from cattle, goat and sheep by 2023 stood at 544,983.8 metric tons and export was about 4,577.5 tons. Despite the economic benefits of these rangeland resources to the country, they are faced with a number of threats that undermine their productivity, namely: agricultural expansion, deforestation, wildfires, overgrazing and invasive alien species. These threats emanate mainly from the lack of coherent approaches to planning and decision making for sustainable utilization of the available rangeland resources. Haphazard development of water points (dams, pans and boreholes) in wet season and/or dry season grazing areas is an example of malpractice due to improper planning as it attracts spontaneous sedentarization of pastoral communities and year-round grazing that result in rangeland degradation. Exploitation or rationing of rangeland resources to uses or users has in most cases not been based on their availability or condition (healthy) to satisfy needs. Reserved rangeland areas for grazing and wildlife conservation lack nationally organized range reources inventory and monitoring because of the lack of enough employed well trained personel to carry out this valuable task. Sustainable utilization of rangeland resources entail uses that conserve soil, water, desirable plant genetic resources, environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable in terms of grazing animal productivity, and socially acceptable. Thus, sustainable use of rangeland resources requires access to reliable baseline information. Data provided by rangeland resources inventory and monitoring gives a variety of information, including; the distribution, productivity and composition of natural vegetation; rainfall and temperature regimes; edaphic and hydrological data, grazing land utilization and wild and domesticated animals; land tenure and ownership; and socio-economic information and marketing. A thourough interpretation of such information can lead to an informed decision and a guide to appoprate policy and regulation in allocation and use of rangeland resources for sustainable economic development. This paper elaborates the importance of guided rangeland resources use through inventory and monitoring for sustainable economic development in Tanzania.
Review of adaptive management practices for rangelands restoration under uncertainty of climate change
(Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST), 2025) Selemani Ismail S.
Rangelands are crucial ecosystems covering 54% of the global area, supporting the livelihoods of millions of people through provision of various good and ecosystem services such as food, livestock and wildlife feeds, carbon sequestration, water regulation, medicinal plants, and biodiversity conservation. In Tanzania alone, rangelands cover over 74% of the land, supporting a significant population of livestock and wildlife, with millions of cattle, goats, and sheep managed extensively in these areas, often competing for forage and water resources. However, rangelands are highly susceptible to climate change impacts, leading to continuous degradation and loss of biological resources. Climate change uncertainty further complicates efforts to restore rangelands effectively. This paper addresses the challenges and provides strategies for restoring Tanzania rangelands in the face of climate change. The paper used secondary data through reviewing the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events like prolonged droughts, increased temperatures, and altered precipitation patterns on rangeland ecosystems. The review suggests restoration strategies such as effective enclosure management, climate-smart pasture renovation, adaptive management practices, ecosystem-based approaches, community involvement, and policy reforms.

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