The influence of economic reforms on utilisation of forest resources by the local communities in Tanzania: The case of Kitulanghalo forest reserve and its surrounding villages, Morogoro District, Tanzania

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Date

2004-07-10

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Abstract

The economic reforms undertaken in Tanzania between 1981 and 1994 ill order to redress the deteriorating economy has caused retrenchment, closure or privatization of some of' the parastatals and many people who were formerly employed by these enterprises were forced to find alternative means of survival. A study was therefore conducted with the main objective of analyzing how economic reforms have influenced utilization and management of forest resources of Kitulanghalo forest reserve. The study was conducted between January and March 2000 in Gwata-Ujembe, Maseyu and Lubungo villages surrounding Kitulanghalo Forest Reserve which is located at about 50 kin east ofMorogoro Municipality along Morogoro - Dar es Salaam highway. The tools employed in primary data collection were Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques and househo' ' surveys. About 60 households were sampled in the study villages. Data were analysed by using both PRA techniques and the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results indicated that agricultural activities and charcoal business are the main economic activities of the people surrounding the forest reserve. More that 75% of the households ill the study villages ranked charcoal making and selling as a first or second source of income after agriculture. The distance from homestead to areas where charcoal burning activities are carried was about /.8 to 18 k111. Furthermore, the results indicated that about 69%, 35% and 65% of the villagers interviewed for Gwata-Ujembe, Lubungo and Maseyu respectively were immigrants and have lived in the villages for 11-23 years. The population by year 2000 in Gwata-Ujembe village had increased by 57% compared to that of year 1980. The growing population has exerted pressure 011 resources due to increased demand for agricultural land, use and trade in forest products. About, 54%, 53% and 86% of the respondents in Gwata-Ujembe, Lubungo and Maseyu villages indicated respectively that there are possibilities of increasing the area owned by individual households by opening up virgin forests. A lso, traditional rules have been eroded (IS people of' different traditions and beliefs moved into the area.

Description

Journal of TAF, 2014; 10: 26-35

Keywords

Economic reforms, Forest resources, Main economic activities

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