THE CONTRIBUTION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONSERVATION OF HALF MILE FOREST IN KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA

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?Research Title: THE CONTRIBUTION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONSERVATION OF HALF MILE FOREST IN KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA

Supervised by: MR , O . MBANGWA

?PREPARED BY: SILVEIRA R. MANUESSA

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1.0?INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Traditional knowledge refers to the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities around the world. Developed from experience gained over the centuries and adapted to the local cultural and environment, traditional knowledge is transmitted orally from generation to generation. It tends to be collectively owned and takes the form of stories, songs, folklore, proverbs, cultural values, beliefs, rituals, community laws, local language and agriculture practices including development of plants species and animals breeds (Pascual et al. 2017). There is today growing appreciation of the value of traditional knowledge. Traditional knowledge can make a significant contribution to sustainable development; Most indigenous and local communities are situated in areas where the vast majority of the world’s genetic resources are found. Many of them have cultivated and used biological diversity in a sustainable way for thousands of years (Lundquist et al. 2015). Some of their practices have been proven to enhance and promote biodiversity at the local level and aid in maintaining healthily ecosystem (James 2012). However, the contribution of indigenous and local community?to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity goes far beyond their role as natural resources managers. Their skills and techniques provides valuable information to the global community and the useful model for biodiversity policies (Uprety et al. 2012).

Indigenous knowledge have been defined to include norms and procedures that shape people’s actions. These procedures define practices, assign roles and guide interactions. Examples of these traditional institutions include traditional leadership, traditional healers, ritual forests, traditional midwives and various taboos and sacred sites and practices. These institutions play key role in the management of natural resources through different form of indigenous technical knowledge. Both local and other literatures identify three key features that characterize the indigenous resources management: First, the indigenous social organization that controls access to natural resources within the community. Second, the customary norms and procedures for control, acquisition, maintenance and transfer for natural resources and finally, the indigenous utilization techniques for conserving and preserving resources

In the protection of wildlife and plants, scienti?c knowledge is an e?ective tool, But people increasingly realize that technology and data alone are not enough to improve people’s lives, because scienti?c knowledge cannot always provide accurate diagnosis or solutions for local people [Venables and Ripley 2002]. Due to the complex and di?erent characteristics of communities, people’s local knowledge and practice should also be considered based on their background and needs [Nadasdy 2005].

Species and ecosystem conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources all require reliable information. Most evidence, however, originates from academic science, while other knowledge systems are largely ignored (Tengo ¨ et al. 2014; Asselin 2015). Recent evidence shows that indigenous peoples and local communities contribute highly valuable knowledge to conservation science and practices, including achieving conservation targets (Berkes et al. 2000; Huntington 2000; Uprety et al. 2012; Forest Peoples Program et al. 2016). The use of traditional knowledge in conservation science, practice and policy is, however, limited by a number of epistemological differences, uncertainties of knowledge validation, and power asymmetries (Berkes et al. 2000; Huntington 2000; Nadasdy 2005).

Studies have shown that throughout the world and especially in the developing countries, indigenous/local people have formed “a science” by engaging in annual cycles of subsistence activities that have evolved into knowledge systems and technologies useful in maintaining and preserving the bio-physical environment within such a community. Thus, over the years, local communities have studied and known a great deal about the flora and fauna, and developed their own classification systems as well as versions of meteorology, astronomy, pharmacology, physics, biology, botany and the sacred commonly referred to as the inner world?(IPCC, 2014).?Accordingly, thus, natural resource conservation has been in the traditions of local communities and has been expressed variously in the beliefs and practices used in their management and utilization. A study by?Eneji (2012) indicate that the indigenous natural resource management practices evolved through the historical interaction of communities and their environment thereby giving rise to practices and cultural landscapes such as sacred forests and groves, sacred corridors and a variety of ethno forestry practices.

In India, Indigenous knowledge is considered as the social capital of the poor. It is their main asset to invest in the struggle for survival, to produce food, to provide for shelter and to achieve control of their own lives. Most of the indigenous knowledge disappears due to the intrusion of foreign technologies and development concepts that promise short-term gains or solutions to problems without being capable of sustaining them (Fernandez, 1994).

In the context of Tanzania, literature on traditional knowledge and institutions indicate that prior to independence in 1961, fundamental principles of land access and management were closely linked to chieftainship. Traditional institutions had chiefs as the most respectable law enforcers and the British colonial government recognized the strength of these institutions hence their adoption as native authorities and chiefs as local tax administrators (Packer et al., 2011; IUCN, 2016). However, during the early years of national building, Mwalimu Nyerere considered tribal identities through chiefs as inherently negative and challenging basic principles and objectives of building the national unity (Funston, 2011)

Most forest inhabitants and more specifically indigenous people see themselves as connected and attached to forest land and recourses which form an integral part of their world. In the present day context, where forest resources are rapidly degrading, traditional forest related knowledge has?emerged and seen as an issue which involves all stakeholders in forestry management strategies, to ensure sustainability. For sustainable forest management there is a need to understand how a human culture interacts with landscapes and shape them into cultural landscapes (Berkes and Davidson-Hunt, 2016; ICSU, 2012).

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND JUSTIFICATION

Since time immemorial,?various?forms of indigenous knowledge systems (IKSs) have been?used by societies in Africa and the rest of the World for many different purposes as determined by the needs of the society in question (Chikaire et al., 2012). The study conducted by Jonson, 2018 reiterates that the?above skills, knowledge and attitudes when harnessed and appropriately applied are capable of sustaining communities and can enhance development in areas such as natural resource management, education,?healing and management of diseases, nutrition, wealth/income/business, entertainment, politics?among others (Mutasa, 2015).

The application of indigenous knowledge to wildlife conservation has received increasing attention in recent years [Robert, 2009]. The inheritance and innovation of indigenous knowledge is regarded as the key to maintaining indigenous people’s traditions and protecting global biodiversity [James et al 2018].

In recently years, TK is faced with rapid social and economic developments, indigenous knowledge is becoming vulnerable to external forces; in fact, it has been lost in many parts of the world. The loss of such knowledge represents the loss of a part of biodiversity (Van Rijsoort, 2010). Therefore, it is imperative to understand indigenous knowledge applied for conservation and ?nd a way to maintain and innovate it.

However, the TK, particularly for Kilimanjaro , are not well documented in the existing literature; this has being identified as a gap which called for this study, thus this research aim to assess the contribution of traditional knowledge on the conservation of Half mile forest.

The study justification

This study intends ?to address the roles of indigenous knowledge in?wildlife conservation using a case study of local communities around Half mile forest in the northern circuit of Tanzania. While recording indigenous knowledge of great signi?cance for biodiversity conservation.

1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

General objectives

-??????To examine the contribution of Traditional knowledge in conservation of Half mile forest in Kilimanjaro, TANZANIA

Specific objectives

1.3.1?????To determine contribution of different cultural practices in forest conservation in Sungu and Mweka villages half mile forest

1.3.2?????To determine the role of local indigenous institutions in supporting conservation in Sungu and Mweka villages around ?half mile forest.

1.3.3?????To assess how TK is generated and shaped among community members in Sungu and Mweka villages around half mile forest

1.3.4?????To compare oral histories given by communities within land forest cover changes observed from satellite image in Mweka and Sungu villages around half mile forest ( for the last 15-20years).

?RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the contribution of different cultural practices in forest conservation in ?Sungu and Mweka villages around?half mile forest?

2. What are the roles of local indigenous institutions in supporting conservation in Sungu and Mweka villages around?half mile forest?.

3. How TK is generated and shaped among community members in Sungu and Mweka villages around?half mile forest?.

4. What are the comparison of oral histories given by communities within land forest cover changes observed from satellite image in Sungu and Mweka villages around?half mile forest ( for the last 15-20years)?.

2.METHODOLOGY

2.1 The Study Area

This study will be undertaken in the Mweka and Sungu villagges located around around Half mile forest in Kilimanjaro Region in the north eastern part of Tanzania. Half Mile Forest is a narrow strip of forest buffering mountain adjacent villages and the mountain forest, its width is approximately to 0.8km or 0.5mile . It lies between latitudes 2?25'S and 4?15'S, and between 36?25'30"E and 38?10'45"E. The region shares a common border with Kenya in the north, to the southeast it borders Tanga Region; to the south and west the region borders Arusha Region. Kilimanjaro Region covers an area of 13,209 km2 equivalent to about 1.4% of the area of the entire Tanzania mainland. Administratively the region is divided into seven districts, namely, Rombo, Mwanga, Same, Hai, Siha, Moshi Rural and Moshi Municipality. Seasonal rainfall distribution greatly influences agricultural practices. In the Kilimanjaro Region, there are two rainy seasons—a major one in April-May and a minor one in September-November, and two dry seasons, a major one in December-January and a minor one in July-August. There is marked variation in the amount of rainfall according to altitude and the direction of the slope in the mountainous areas. The mean annual rainfall varies from 500 mm in the lowlands to over 2000 mm in the mountainous areas (over 1600 meters above sea level). Temperatures are closely related to altitude. During the rainy season, extra cloud cover and evaporative cooling tend to reduce maximum temperatures. Cloud cover also tends to raise minimum temperatures. The hot season lasts from October-March with high humidity; temperatures going up as far as 40?C in the lowlands. In the mountainous areas temperature ranges from about 15?C - 30?C

2.2. The study population

The study population of this study will be local people in Mweka and Sungu villages around Half mile forest, the study population also will include key informants amongst the local communities, and Workers in Half mile forest.

2.3. Sampling methods and procedures

Primary data will be collected from a sample size of households that will be taken to represent the total number of households of the entire study area using simple random sampling technique. In this method, every person in the villages will have an equal chance of participating in the study (Kothari, 2006).

Non-probability sampling technique will employ Convenience sampling

This sampling technique will be used because individual to be included in a sample are the one that are easiest to access or conveniently available and this is because of time limit.

?2.4. Sample size

The sample size for the study will be calculated by using ONLINE SAMPLE SIZE CALCULATOR

? 2.5. Data collection methods

Primary data collection

This is the actual data collection from the field direct. This method will involve the following:

INTERVIEW METHOD

Semi-structured interview will be asked to the key informants during data collection, the list of questions will be prepared on interview guide sheet consisting mostly of open-ended questions and a few closed-ended questions. These questions will be asked to key informants, Questions will be written in Swahili language since it is understood by the majority of local residents in the area. Interview method will be used in this study because it allow participants to provide in-depth information which is not easily found through other method of data collection (there is follow up and probing questions).

HOUSE HOLD QUESTIONNAIRE

Questionnaire will be used in data collection; the list of questions will be prepared on Questionnaire sheet consisting mostly of closed-ended questions and a few open-ended questions. Questions were written in Swahili language since it is understood by the majority of local residents in the area. In this method each question will be asked in the same way for each respondent. This method will be used because it is easy in data analysis but also in collection information from large population.

??2.7. Data analysis methods

Quantitative data derived from household questionnaire surveys will be coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 20 software and Microsoft Excel.??

Qualitative data that will be obtained through key informant interviews and open-ended questionnaire surveys will be analyzed by content analysis which explains in detail the contents of verbal discussion held with different respondents during semi-structured interviews and from open-ended questionnaires. Interviewed dialogue with key informants will be broken down into smallest meaningful units of information or theme and tendencies to ease the analysis using themes and categories from the data questions. Coding involved following the responses and categorizing, organizing, and filtering the data to identify and extract main them.

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3. REFERENCES

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Berkes, F., and I.J.Davidson-Hunt. 2006. Biodiversity, traditional management systems, and cultural landscapes: examples from the Boreal Forest of Canada. International Social Science Journal, 58:35-47.

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Pearce, David; Putz, Francis E.; Vanclay, Jerome K. 2001. Sustainable forestry in the tropics: panacea or folly? Forest Ecology and Management. (172) 229-247. Roy, P.S. 2003.