The effect of agricultural intensification on ecosystem Services around Ihemi cluster
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Date
2021
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation
Abstract
As the world population continue to increase,
the demand for food also increases which
necessitate the need for agricultural
intensification. Agricultural intensification
affects large parts of terrestrial area,
therefore, assessment of its contribution to
the decrease of ecosystem services is critical
for successful conservation in the future. A
study was conducted in five districts of Iringa
and Njombe Regions, part of Ihemi cluster,
to assess the effects of agricultural
intensification on ecosystem services. A
total of 607 household surveys and 19 Focus
Groups discussions were conducted.
Descriptive and cross tabulation were used
for quantitative analysis while content
analysis was used for qualitative data.
Findings reveal that there are several benefits
communities get from the ecosystem that
play a great role on their livelihood. Across
all villages, firewood is preferred due to its
affordability and availability.
Other
ecosystems goods such as traditional
medicine and mushrooms are hardly
available due to clearing of land for
agricultural activities, as well as settlement
expansion. Community activities, such as
valley bottom farming was mentioned as a
practice that jeopardize the long-term
sustainability of ecosystem resources within
the Cluster. Agricultural intensification by
investors was also mentioned as a sources of
ecosystem depletion. Sustainable agricultural
intensification, if adopted, might be one
among the solutions to serve the ecosystem
around the cluster
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
ecosystem services, biodiversity loss, agricultural intensification, Ihemi cluster