Browsing by Author "Mfinanga, Sabitina Abdi"

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    Indigenous knowledge on pasture management for adaptation to climate change in pastoral communities,
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2019) Mfinanga, Sabitina Abdi
    This study was adopted to investigate the indigenous Knowledge on pasture management for adaptation to climate change in Parakuyo village. Simple random techniques were used to obtain the study sample. Qualitative data were collected using key informant interview, focus group discussions and participatory field observation, while quantitative data were collected using household questionnaire survey. Documentary search was also used to collect secondary data. Analysis of qualitative data was done using content analysis technique, while quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Findings from the study have shown that, indigenous knowledge practice by pastoralist play significant role in the management of animal pasture as well as their animals in the changing climate. Most of the pastoralist depends on their own local knowledge for understanding and evaluating climatic related and weather variations such knowledge included traditional fodder conservation practices (enclosure grazing) and seasonal mobility used to manage pasture in a changing climate. Also decreasing the number of livestock such as sale of weak and old animals before the dry season and increase of livestock diversifications were the coping mechanisms of livestock keepers in the study area. The study has also revealed that major factors contributing to indigenous knowledge were age, level of education, house hold size, gender, and income from livestock. The study also revealed the factors contributing to the disappearance of indigenous knowledge in pastoral community, which included conflict between pastoralist and farmers, lack of information on weather and extension services. This study concludes that the indigenous knowledge play an important role in pasture management so it should be developed to reducing the risks associated with climate change. This study recommends that the community should diversify to other environmentally friendly economic activities so that they can earn income rather than relying on livestock as well as reducing pressure on natural pasture when climatic condition is not favorable. Also the government of Tanzania should put more effort on training and advocating pastoral communities to use improve breed animal to avoid overgrazing as well as to increase productivity.