Informal environmental awareness as entry point for formal environmental education programmes: A case of East Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania
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Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Continuing Education and Extension (JCEE)
Abstract
In all communities where formal arrangements exist, informal arrangements which directly
or indirectly support, oppose or are neutral to such formal arrangements are inevitable.
Informal arrangements can be institutionalised to formal arrangements or can enrich,
transform or revolutionize the existing formal arrangements. In environmental education
field, formal environmental education programmes implemented at the community level can
be influenced by informal conditions. One of such conditions is people’s awareness on the
natural resources that manifest in their practices in the use of these resources. Formal
environmental education arrangements imposed without prior comprehension of the existing
environmental awareness undermine existing and useful interactions or exacerbate existing
counteractions between human and environmental resources. This study aimed at
determining farmers’ awareness on degradation of water sources and streams in private
farm plots (micro-water resources) in East Uluguru Mountains in Tanzania so as to provide
insight to planning formal environmental education programmes. Farmers owning farm plots
where micro-water —sources are located were interviewed. Transect walk — as also
conducted to implement the interviews. Findings indicated that farmers were aware of the
degrading micro-water resources but could not link the degradation with their anthropogenic
practices. Following insights on farmers’ awareness and knowledge on field realities, a
formal environmental education was given to the farmers. This study recommended that a
thorough understanding of interactions among socio-economic, market, ecological and
cognitive factors is imperative for sustainability of micro-water resources (private farms) and
therefore further research is recommended in this direction.
Description
ICE Journal (2010), pp. 50-61
Keywords
Farmers awareness, Degradation, Micro-water resources, Farming practices, Conservation