Impact of indigenous based interventions on land conservation: a case study of soil conservation and agroforestry project, Arumeru district, Arusha,Tanzania.
| dc.contributor.author | Fanuel, Julius | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-12-05T08:32:26Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-12-05T08:32:26Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2002 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation | |
| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT Land degradation lias been identified as a serious problem in Tanzania since the 1920s. A number of factors do contribute to land degradation, some being important in one area than in another. Among the factors normally cited include deforestation, overgrazing and inappropriate farming practices. Several attempts by the government of Tanzania to arrest the problem have been mostly directed towards land conservation through externally sponsored interventions based on lop- down approaches. Indigenous based interventions are among the alternatives practices adopted by the Soil Conservation and Agroforcstry Project in Arusha for land conservation to restore soil fertility and increase agricultural productivity in Arumeru Districts. The main purpose of the study was to assess the impact of indigenous based interventions on land conservation. More specifically the study intended, first to assess farmers' perception on land degradation; secondly, assessing the adoption of indigenous based interventions: thirdly assessing the impact of those interventions: and lastly assessing the sustainability of those interventions. Data for the study were collected under two phases. Phase one of the study involved reconnaissance survey together with a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques in Manyire village. Other tools used were checklist and participant observation. The second phase Questionnaire survey was done was in mainly based on questionnaire survey. Oldonyosapuk. Olchorovus. Manyire and Ekenywa Villages. PRA data were analyzed with the help of the local communities and the results were communicated back to them for verification. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used to analyze quantitative data whereas Content and Structural-Functional analysis was used for analyzing qualitative data. Findings of the study suggest that the rate of land degradation was perceived by respondents to be rather severe. Results of the study also showed that interventions, which require minimal labour or minimal capital, have been highly adopted by many farmers while labour/capital intensive ones have been taken up by few farmers. In the overall, the intervehtions are said to have cased-up farm operation and contributed towards increased crop yield, improved soil conservation and increased income. Success in some of the interventions warrants wider promotion of the practices (sustainability) beyond the project area. Farmers are aware of the issues related to land degradation and problems of declining soil fertility. Land conservation measures are in- built into many of the cultural practices in the survey area. Logistic model showed that extension service was the most important factor, which influenced the probability of adoption of indigenous based interventions on land conservation. Other factors included: farmers’ age. education level and land ownership.. The results also suggest that the most important factors influencing the yield of maize and beans were: land size, farmers' age. frequency of extension contacts, climatic factors, land 'management practices (intercropping) and accessibility to markets. The results imply that increased application of farmyard manure, restricting animal movements on conserved land and more training on improved pastures would increase the impact of indigenous based interventions. The results of this study provide a strong case for the promotion of indigenous based interventions as an appropriate solution for land conservation and as a means of increasing agricultural production on a sustainable basis. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | WWF (World Wildlife Fund) | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7176 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Sokoine University of Agriculture | |
| dc.subject | Land conservation | |
| dc.subject | Soil Conservation | |
| dc.title | Impact of indigenous based interventions on land conservation: a case study of soil conservation and agroforestry project, Arumeru district, Arusha,Tanzania. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |
Files
Original bundle
1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
- Name:
- FANUEL,Julius.pdf
- Size:
- 3.23 MB
- Format:
- Adobe Portable Document Format
- Description:
- Dissertation
License bundle
1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
- Name:
- license.txt
- Size:
- 1.75 KB
- Format:
- Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
- Description: