Browsing by Author "Ngongolo, K."
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Item Awareness and involvement of local communities adjacent Kihansi catchment in conservation of the re-introduced Kihansi spray toads (Nectophrynoides asperginis)(Elsevier, 2021) Sigala, A.; Ngongolo, K.; Mmbaga, N.Community awareness and participation in biodiversity conservation is vital for the establishment of community based conservation (CBC). However little information is available on the awareness and involvement of local communities adjacent to Kihansi catchment areas (KCA) on the conservation of re-introduced Kihansi spray toad (KST) and their habitat. This study focused on assessing the awareness and involvement of local communities adjacent to the KCA on the conservation of the re-introduced KSTs and their habitats. The study was conducted in three villages located adjacent to the Kihansi river gorge namely; Mgugwe, Udagaji and Ukami. Semi-structured questionnaires with both open and closed-ended uestions were used to collect data from the respondents from villages surrounding the Kihansi Gorge through a cross-sectional survey. The awareness of local communities on the re-introduced KST was as follows; 98.9% (n = 361) had heard about KST and the variation across villages was significant (p < 0.05). In addition, 46.03% (n = 168) had ever seen the toads although only 27. 67% (n = 101) were able to identify the toads through their physical features. About 43.01% (n = 157) of people heard about KST through friends, while 33.15% (n = 121), and 23.84% (n = 87) heard from experts and local government leaders respectively with insignificant variation across the three villages (p = 0.236). The participation of local communities in conservation was low (<30%) which was related to little awareness of local communities on the re-introduced KST. Challenges such as habitat destruction, pollution, fires, and predation by invasive species have been reported to affect KSTs and their habitats. The study recommends strengthening the participation of local communities in habitat restoration, conservation education, and research activities on the re-introduced KST.Item Challenges and opportunities for restoring the threatened mangroves(2015) Ngongolo, K.; Mtoka, S.; Mahulu, A.Restoration of mangrove forests has to be a continuous process. It is important to reverse the loss of mangrove ecosystem worldwide by using various approaches as this ecosystem provides important ecosystem services such as habitat for organisms, recycling of nutrients, controlling floods, trapping sediments, erosion barriers and so much more. This paper addresses issues associated with the ongoing degradation of mangroves, objectives, opportunities well as challenges for mangroves restoration. As far as the restoration of mangroves is concern, it is emphasized to conserve mangrove forest so as to continue benefiting from them. Special emphasis is placed in coordinating efforts between natural and social sciences. However, it should also be noted that, restoring mangroves is only a partial solution, protection and conservation of those important remaining ecosystems, must be a campaign for all nations before too much is lost.Item Floral visitors of the Ageratum conyzoides in Amani Nature Reserve, Tanzania(International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS), Japan, 2014) Ngongolo, K.; Mtoka, S.; Mafuwe, K.; Mahulu, A.Several studies have shown that Ageratum conyzoides (A. conyzoides) is of beneficial to man in terms of medicine and food, however the floral visitors of this species which are anticipated to be potential pollinators were not known in Amani Nature Reserve. This study aimed at determining the floral visitors and potential pollinators of the species. The individuals observed to probe the flowers were considered potential pollinators, field observation to the flowers at specified time interval was used to determine the floral visitors and time spent. There was no difference between the floral visitors and individual probed and relationship between the visitation and probing with time spent were positive related. This concluded that, the majority of the visitors to A. conyzoides were potential pollinators, and rewards like nectar and pollen attracted them. In this case, conservation of the nature reserve is essential with consideration of the pollinators as essential components for the reproductive success of A. conyzoides.Item Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, income of local communities and biodiversity conservation: Evidence from Burunge wildlife management area, Tanzania(Elsevier BV, 2024) Chebby, F.; Mmbaga, N.; Ngongolo, K.The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in various negative repercussions worldwide in terms of biological conservation, the tourism sector and socio-economic welfare. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on socio-economic activities, income from the tourism sector, alternative sources of income adapted by the local communities adjacent to the Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) as a means of survival, and its implications for biodiversity conservation. To assess tourism status, socio-economic activities and alternative livelihoods, interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informants’ consultations were conducted on 264 respondents, of whom 53 % (n = 140) were men and 47 % (n = 124) were women. Secondary data were obtained from soft and hard copy reports through an extensive literature search in order to comprehend the implications of COVID-19 and alternative livelihoods in biodiversity conservation. 90.5 % (239) of respondents reported being seriously affected by the emergence of COVID-19, while 9.5 % (n = 25) were not affected by it. Some of the impacts of the COVID-19 as pointed out by the respondents included deflation (91.7 %, n = 242), a decline in the number of customers (91.7 %, n = 242), whereas others lost jobs (5.7 %, n = 15). In the case of the Burunge WMA authority, revenue collection (mainly from the tourism sector) declined by 32.5 % and 76.4 % for the years 2019/20 and 2020/21, respectively, as compared to the revenue obtained in the year 2018/19 before COVID-19. During the pandemic, local communities adapted to several alternative sources of income while others intensified their former ones mainly being agriculture, fishing and livestock keeping. It is important for local communities, especially those adjacent to protected areas, to have diversified means of income that are environmentally and socially sustainable, such as fish farming and beekeeping, to reduce the impacts of unanticipated crises such as COVID-19.Item Knowledge on diseases, practices and threats of drugs residues in chicken food chains in selected districts of Dodoma region, Tanzania(Elsevier, 2021) Chota, A.; Kitojo, O.; Ngongolo, K.Raising chickens is a rapidly growing subsector in the livestock industry. However, low bio-security results in increased disease spread and the use of drugs in chicken flocks. Increased use of drugs threatens public health, as it poses risks of drug residues and resistant pathogens escaping into chicken food chains or infecting humans respectively. A cross sectional questionnaire survey and on-field clinical and postmortem diagnoses were carried out to establish farmers' awareness of diseases, drugs, and withdrawal times. It was established that 82% (n = 200) of local chicken keepers strongly agreed that, Newcastle disease was a major problem whereas,43.5% (n = 200) of the farmers who kept layers strongly agreed that Fowl typhoid was the major problem. Concurrent occurrence of Ascaridia galli infestations and Coccidiosis had a significant association with local chickens (odds ratio [OR] = 7.2, 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.6−14.4,P<0.05) whereas, concurrent infections of salmonellosis and colibacillosis had a significant association with mortality in layers (OR = 2.8, 95% CI, 1.6−5.2,P<0.05). In local chickens,91.1% (n = 200) relied on prophylactic drugs and in layers, 62.5% (n = 200) relied on treatment and vaccination for disease control, and only 48.2% (n = 200) and 24% (n = 200) respectively, knew about the withdrawal period. Oxytetracycline in 62 and 43.5%, enrofloxacin in 9 and19.5%, and tylosin in 5 and 26.5% of local chickens and layer keepers respectively, were the most commonly used drugs. High mortality, mean 94.79 (SE; 86.05−103.53) per flock life span was observed in layers. Mortality resulting from diseases results in the continuous use of antibiotics in chicken flocks, as a result, with or without knowledge of drug withdrawal periods, the products and by-products sent into the food chain pose a significant public health concern.Item Land use land cover change and socio-economic activities in the Burunge Wildlife Management Area ecosystem during COVID-19(Elsevier, 2023) Chebby, F.; Mmbaga, N.; Ngongolo, K.Land use land cover change (LULCC) is among the major factors affecting the natural environment worldwide. Studying LULCC is essential as it contributes to natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and land use planning, especially during pandemics such as COVID-19. This study aimed at assessing the trend (1995–2021) and magnitude of LULCC in the Burunge WMA ecosystem before (2015–2018) and during COVID-19 (2018–2021). The data on LULCC were collected from the satellite imagery on the USGS website, whereas the data on perceptions of local communities on LULCC from Mwada, Kakoi and Maweni villages were collected through a household questionnaire survey (HQS) of 445 randomly sampled households, focused group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs). Quantitative data were analyzed using MS Excel 2019, R software (2022.02.0 + 443) and ArcGIS (Version 10.8). Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis techniques. The findings indicated a fluctuation in agriculture, forest, and water coverage. For instance, agriculture and settlements increased significantly by 23.91% in 2015–2021 and 5.71% in 1995–2005 respectively, whereas forested land showed a maximum increase of 7.33% in 1995–2005. However, there was a pronounced increase in agricultural lands (3.99%) during the COVID-19 phase as compared to the same time frame before the pandemic. Local communities pointed to agriculture and settlements as the major activities contributing to LULCC. The findings show significant LULCC in Burunge WMA which calls for special attention from responsible authorities and other stakeholders for the achievement of biodiversity conservation and the development of livelihoods in the area.Item Optimizing Organic Agriculture: Poultry manure dominates in enhancing germination and growth of common beans in Tanzania's semi-arid environment(PBI East Java, 2024) Ngongolo, K.; Mrimi, D.The study aimed to investigate the impact of different organic manures on the germination and growth performance of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Tanzania's semi-arid region. Despite the widespread cultivation of common beans, limited research addresses the specific effects of diverse manure types on their germination and growth in this region. The primary objective is to assess and compare the influence of cow dung, poultry manure, rabbit manure, and a control (no manure) on common bean germination and growth. Understanding how different manure categories affect beans is crucial for optimizing agricultural practices in semi-arid environments. A randomized block design was employed with four treatments (cow dung, poultry manure, rabbit manure, and control), each replicated three times. Common bean seeds were planted, and growth parameters, including plant height, leaf width, and leaf length, were measured. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and generalized linear models. Poultry manure consistently outperformed other categories, significantly enhancing bean germination and growth (p < 0.05). The association between manure types and total germinated seeds was positive, with poultry and cow manures showing the most significant impact (P < 0.05). Growth performance, especially plant height, demonstrated significant associations with manure type, plant parts' growth, time intervals, and distance from the bush. Poultry manure emerged as the most effective in promoting common bean germination and growth. The study highlights the need for tailored agricultural practices considering the diversity in manure effects. It suggests promoting organic farming practices, with an emphasis on poultry manure. Further research is encouraged to explore broader impacts on various crops. Educational initiatives are recommended to disseminate knowledge about organic manure benefits, and policy support is advocated to enhance soil fertility, crop yield, and environmental sustainability in Tanzanian agriculture.Item Socio-economic, Health, and Psychological Impacts of Covid-19 on Human Well-Being in East Africa(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2024) Ngongolo, K.; Mrimi, D.The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted society around the world and had an impact on many facets of human welfare. This chapter offers a thorough analysis of how Covid-19 has affected people's quality of life in East Africa. The study highlights the socio-economic, health, and psychological effects of the pandemic in the area, such as elevated mortality rates, difficulties with mental health, a downturn in the economy, and disruptions in social interactions by looking at a wide range of scholarly articles, reports, and data sources. It also looks at regional responses, difficulties encountered, and viable solutions to lessen the consequences and improve people's well-being. It also considers prospective benefits including enhanced cleanliness standards, technology breakthroughs, and societal resiliency. The chapter's findings advance knowledge of the multiple effects of COVID-19 on human wellbeing and offer policymakers, researchers, and practitioners’ useful information for formulating plans to lessen the adverse effects and advance the general welfare of people and communities in the post-pandemic era.Item Stocking Density and Water Quality Effect on Growth Performance of Nile Tilapia Raised in Water Ponds in Dodoma City, Tanzania(Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2023) Ngongolo, K.; Mmbaga, N. E.; Missanga, J.Pond fertilization and stocking density consideration are two management practices used in pond fish farming to increase productivity. This study aimed to fill a knowledge gap in Dodoma by examining how different types of manure used for fertilization affect the water quality of ponds, as well as the effects of stocking density on the growth performance of Nile Tilapia. The effects of stocking density at 15, 30, and 100 individuals on the growth performance of tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) in terms of weight and length gain were studied for one month (30 days). From day zero commercial powder feeds were applied at a rate of 9% of body weight. The pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature of water fertilized with chicken and cow manure were all measured. The fourth week showed the best growth performance, with a length of 6.52±0.28cm and a weight of 3.43±0.36g at the large stocking density of 100 individuals per pond. Ponds fertilized with chicken manure had a significant effect in dissolved oxygen (10-14.20 mg/l) and pH (9.1-9.8) (p<0.05). Whereas, the more dissolved oxygen revealed a significant growth in fish in terms of weight (p=0.01). According to the findings of this study, low density and sufficient oxygen improved the fish growth performance. When applying manure for fertilization, it is critical to consider the different types of manure and how they affect water characteristics.