Community perception of land degradation across Maasai landscape, Arusha Tanzania: implication for developing a sustainable restoration strategy | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Research | ||
| Article 3, Volume 102, Issue 2, July 2024, Pages 208-223 PDF (988.15 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejar.2024.263444.1500 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Joseph S. Kalonga* 1, 2; Boniface Massawe3; Anthony Kimaro4; Kelvin Mtei5 | ||
| 1School of Life Science and Bioengineering (LiSBE), Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha P.O. Box 447, Tanzania | ||
| 2(Shift + \ ) Department of Crop Science and Beekeeping Technology (DCSBT), University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), P.O. Box 35091, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania | ||
| 3Department of Soil and Geological Science (DSGS), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3000, Morogoro, Tanzania | ||
| 4World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), P.O. Box 6226, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania | ||
| 5School of Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Science (MEWES), The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha P.O. Box 447, Tanzania | ||
| Abstract | ||
| In Tanzania, most smallholder farming systems have experienced land degradation due to soil erosion which contributes to the decline in crop and livestock productivity. Community perception of land degradation has not been reported adequately in the Maasai landscape sufficiently reported, even though its causes and effects are site-specific and occur over time. This study assessed the community's perception of indicators, causes and land degradation management practices in the Maasai landscape. A total of 240 farmers from six villages distributed within three landscape zones differentiated by their altitudes and contrasting adoption of soil conservation practices were involved in the study. Farmer’s plots, observations, discussions, and questionnaire interviews were used for data collection. Data analysis performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 were descriptive statistics, and comparison tests were done using the Chi-square test. According to the results, 75% of the respondents recognize land degradation as a problem in their cultivated land. About 60% of the farmers reported anthropogenic as the most prominent type of land degradation in all landscape zones. Soil erosion was reported as the main indicator of land degradation accounting for 74.1%, 61.3%, and 44.4% in high, medium, and low landscape zones respectively. The study found that communities perceive the trend of land degradation as increasing in the landscape, whereby soil erosion and nutrient depletion are the major indicators of land degradation. The study recommends that the government and other soil conservation organizations in the Maasai landscape of Arusha and related areas consider community perceptions in the planning and implementation of interventions meant for sustainable land use and restorations. Communities in the Maasai landscape are aware of land degradation and have their indigenous method for conservation. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Land degradation; Community's Perceptions; soil conservation practice; and soil fertility | ||
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