Nature-based income generating activities as livelihood coping and biodiversity conservation strategies in the Uluguru mountains in Tanzania
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Date
2021
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
A study was conducted in Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania to investigate to what extent
Nature-based Income Generating Activities (NIGAs) have served as effective livelihood
and biodiversity conservation strategies in the study area. The specific objectives were to:
a) assess the perceptions of local communities regarding the role of different NIGAs as
livelihood coping and biodiversity conservation strategies, b) evaluate the economic
viability of two highly ranked NIGAs, and c) evaluate factors influencing the adoption of
NIGAs in the study area. The Kendall‘s Coefficient of Concordance (W) - Kendall‘s tau,
the Spearman correlation - Spearman‘s rho, and Likert scale methods were used as
metrics of perception. Viability of NIGAs was evaluated using the Costs and Benefits
Analysis (CBA) approach with NPVs, BCRs, and IRR applied as decision criteria. The
factors influencing NIGA adoption were evaluated using the Generalized Linear Binary
Probit (GLBP) model - Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), and Discriminant
Function Analysis (DFA). The Kendall‘s, W statistic suggested that to some extent, the
respondents agreed with each other about the rankings of NIGAs though not at a super
high extent. The null hypothesis that the respondents did not agree among themselves
about the NIGAs that are potential as livelihood and biodiversity conservation strategies
was therefore rejected. Based on the Spearman‘s rho and Kendall‘s tau statistics, the
study failed to reject the null hypothesis that the NIGAs adopted by smallholder farmers
in the study area were interrelated. The results of both Likert-type and Likert scale data
analyses yielded similar results suggesting that the communities in the study area
moderately reduced their reliance on timber products from the UFR. The hypothesis of
improved biodiversity conservation was therefore accepted. The viability analysis yielded
positive NPVs for both agroforestry and beekeeping projects at discount rates not higher
that 8.2% and 8.5% respectively. In terms of IRR however, beekeeping was slightly more efficient than agroforestry. Overall, agroforestry was more profitable than beekeeping in
terms of NPV and BCR criteria. The results of GLBP model, MANOVA, and DFA
revealed that farmland location (whether close or far from homestead), major source of
capital (whether sale of farm products and assets or other sources), and type of household
based on the sex of household head (whether female or male –headed household) exerted
the most influence over smallholder farmers’ decision to adopt NIGAs. Based on the
study findings, the following recommendations are drawn: a) policy makers and
development partners should understand the real needs and priorities of target
communities prior to the implementation of NIGA projects to enhance livelihoods and
biodiversity conservation; b) smallholder farmers need support from the government and
other development partners through training and they need to be inspired to shift from
orthodox farming to sustainable NIGAs, such as, agroforestry and beekeeping; and c)
policy directions to benefit smallholder farmers in mountain areas should establish a
strong linkage between gender equality and pro-nature agendas. Future research is
recommended on: a) viability of NIGAs using a combination of empirical models and
judgment to predict future discount rates and evaluate correlation of results; and b) using
time series data to investigate the determinants of NIGA adoption as this facilitates the
capacity to model and predict related processes. This study used cross-sectional data.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Livelihood, Biodiversity, Conservation strategies, Uluguru mountains, Tanzania