Browsing by Author "Nyahongo, Julius William"

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    Household reliance on environmental income in the western Serengeti ecosystem,Tanzania
    (Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2019) Kyando, Moses Titus; Nyahongo, Julius William; Røskaft, Eivin; Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt
    Pressures on protected areas (PAs) in Tanzania are increasing through the extractive use by surrounding communities. Understanding how environmental reliance varies in relation to distance from PAs and in relation to household’s socio-economic characteristics is important for PAs management and decision of poverty alleviation strategies. This study therefore aimed to quantifying the reliance on cash environmental income as a share in total household income over a gradient of distance from PA boundaries in Western Serengeti and evaluates how it is influenced by socio-economic characteristics. Data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire of 150 households, randomly selected in three villages. Results indicate that environmental cash-income varies from 21.3% to 45.2% of the total annual cash-income, representing on average 37.8% of the total annual cash-income of all households surveyed. Households closest to the boundary of Serengeti National Park (SNP) are relatively more reliant on environmental income than those located relatively far. Environmental cash-income reliance is associated with household socio-economic factors including distance from SNP boundary, household wealth rank and absolute income from off-farm activities. The main sources of environmental cash-income are fuel-wood, construction materials and wild foods. Reducing environmental reliance requires promotion of off-farm activities, improved wood fuel stoves electricity and alternative sources of fuels.
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    The importance of bushmeat in household income as a function of distance from protected areas in the western Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania
    (Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2019) Manyama, Flora Felix; Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt; Røskaft, Eivin; Nyahongo, Julius William
    Bushmeat hunting is widespread in villages adjacent to protected areas in Western Serengeti. However, little information is available about the role of bushmeat income in the household economy as a function of distance from the protected area boundary, preventing the formulation of informed policy for regulating this illegal trade. This study was conducted in three villages in Western Serengeti at distances of 3 (closest), 27 (intermediate) and 58km (furthest) from the boundary of Serengeti National Park to assess the contribution of bushmeat to household income. The sample consists of 246 households of which 96 hunted or traded bushmeat, identified using snowball sampling through the aid of local informers. The average income earned from bushmeat was significantly higher for bushmeat traders than hunters. The contribution of bushmeat to household income was significantly higher in Robanda the village closest to the protected area boundary compared to Rwamkoma and Kowak, the more distant villages. A Heckman sample-selection model reveals that household participation in hunting and trading bushmeat was negatively associated with distance to the protected area boundary and with the household head being female. Household reliance on bushmeat income was negatively associated with age and gender of the household head and distance to the protected area boundary. Hence, efforts to reduce involvement in hunting, and trading bushmeat should target male-headed households close to the protected area boundary.
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    Influence of multiple linear infrastructure on diversity of small mammals in Mikumi national park, Tanzania
    (Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2019) Kisanga, Agnes Carol; Nyahongo, Julius William; Mtemi, Wambura M.; Roskaft, Eivin
    The need for rapid development in developing countries has led to establishment of major public infrastructure even in biodiversity rich protected areas. Mikumi National Park in central Tanzania is traversed by five such major infrastructures namely an optic fibre, a busy public road, an oil pipeline, power lines and railways. We assessed diversity and abundance of small terrestrial mammals of the order Eulipotyphla and Rodentia as indicator groups in relation to impacts of such infrastructure. Animals were live trapped during wet (February-April) and dry (July- September) seasons in 2018 from three established plots along the three transects set perpendicular to each of the four infrastructures. In 10102 trap nights, we captured 453 small mammals of nine species of which Mastomys natalensis constituted 75.4 % of total catch. Diversity and abundance varied between seasons, infrastructure and plots location. Dry season had significantly higher diversity than wet season and the railway site had higher diversity than the other infrastructure. The intermediate plots (500 m from infrastructure) had significantly higher abundance of animals than immediate (0-50 m) and distant (1000 m) plots. The differences in these results can be attributed by seasonal fluctuations of animal populations, and intensity of disturbance in each infrastructure and plot. It is important to examine impacts of future infrastructure developments using small mammals.
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    School children as informants about bushmeat consumption in Western Serengeti, Tanzania
    (Academic Journals, 2019) Manyama, Flora Felix; Nyahongo, Julius William; Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt; Røskaft, Eivin
    Bushmeat contributes to household food security in Western Serengeti, particularly for low-income families who are unable to afford more expensive meat sources. However, as the human population grows, bushmeat demand is increasingly unsustainable. Formulating effective policies to reduce illegal bushmeat hunting in Serengeti National Park (SNP), requires information about the contribution of bushmeat to household meat protein consumption as it varies along a gradient of distance from protected areas and between seasons, which can be difficult to obtain from adults due to the illegal nature of hunting. Data on bushmeat consumption frequencies were collected from 127 class four pupils and compared to that of 150 adults. Data were obtained through interviews conducted in both the dry and wet seasons in October 2017 and April 2018, respectively, in three villages selected based on distance from the boundary of SNP (near, intermediate and far away). Mean reported bushmeat consumption frequencies by both schoolchildren and adults differed significantly between villages declining with distance from SNP. Bushmeat consumption frequencies reported by both groups were significantly higher during the dry season (66%) compared to the wet season (34%). Adults on average reported significantly lower bushmeat consumption frequencies than schoolchildren in both seasons. The results suggest that children are less constrained by the illegal nature of bushmeat hunting and therefore may provide more accurate information about the importance of bushmeat in household consumption than adults. Results also reveal that bushmeat contributes considerably to household meat consumption in villages close to the SNP but not further away. This study provides valuable insights for targeting policies to reduce illegal bushmeat hunting, including through promoting substitute protein sources.
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    Spatial distribution of heavy metals in soil with distance from Tazama pipeline through the Mikumi National Park, Tanzania
    (Academic Journals, 2019) Mrimi, Doreen Jeremiah; Nyahongo, Julius William; Vedeld, Pål Olav; Massawe, Boniface Hussein; Jjunju, Charlotte Nakakaawa
    A total concentration of six studied heavy metals Arsenic (As), Lead (Pb), Chromium(Cr), Mercury (Hg) Cadmium (Cd) and Copper (Cu) were measured in soil across distances from TAZAMA pipeline in transects which have incidences of oil spillage and those which have no history of oil spillage. All studied heavy metals were detected in the study area. As, Pb and Cr were detected in both transects, that is, with oils spills and those with no history of oil spillage to a distance of 0-35 m from the edge of the pipeline, with higher mean concentration in transects with oil spillage compared to those with none. From 50-200 m away from the pipeline these four metals were detected in transects with oil spillage only. Hg and Cd were detected in transects with history of oil spillage only. Cu was detected in all transects and at all ranges of distance. Concentration of studied heavy metals decreased with increased distance from the edge of the pipeline in both transects to all directions. The decrease was statistically significant in transects with oil spillage and insignificant with transects of no history of oil spillage.