Browsing by Author "Rugumamu, William"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Soil resource survey and evaluation for agricultural land use planning in part of Mbeya region, Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1988) Rugumamu, William
    In Tanzania there is a great and urgent need for land resource assessment as a basis for a rational land use planning. This study attempts to apply a soil resource survey to meet this need. A detailed examination of the philosophies and principles underlying most existing studies on soil survey and land evaluation in the tropics in general and Tanzania in particular has revealed that they are based on environmental conditions prevailing in Europe and North America. Landsat satellite images and aerial photo interpretation as well as field work and soil laboratory analysis of physical, mineralogical and chemical properties as a technique of analysing the physical and human environment against which soil survey and land evaluation for agricultural activities are conducted is employed. The environmental conditions of the study area also inventoried. The study of porous soils derived from volcanic parent materials has shown that pedogenetic processes such as leaching, gleying, salinization and erosion which tend to lower the agricultural potential of part of Mbeya region are operative and their severity varies over the study area whilst processes such as formation of structure, humification and mineralization of organic matter, formation of clay minerals and lessivage which maintain or improve soil productivity do also occcur. The rate of loss of plant nutrients and soil productivity do also occur. The rate of loss of plant nutrients and soil degradation is greater on the windward side than on the leeward side of the Poroto and Rungwe mountains due mainly to differences in climate. It is therefore predicted that the future soils behaviour is more inclined to degradation unless scientific management practices are applied. The studied soils are also correlated to the FAO-UNESCO Legend and the Soil Taxonomy. Evaluation of these soils has revealed that specific land utilization types are suited only to particular ecological and management conditions and topographic and climatic conditions influence the selection of land use types. Current potential suitability offers some development strategy including farmers' education, training of extension staff as well as research support in order to offer better opportunities for a sustainable agricultural production.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Some Physical Problems of Agricultural Land Use in Kalenga Irrigation Scheeme Iringa District
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1975) Rugumamu, William
    Successful agricultural production in the tropics generally depends on climate, crop types and soil factors on the one hand and economic, social and political factorson the other. It is indeed an efficient combination of these variables that ensure a targeted agricultural produce.The aim of the present study is to attempt to investigate:- (a) the role of the soil factors in the failure of paddy cultivation: (b)the relationship between the soil factors and irrigation failure;(c) the relationship between soil factors and management in the failure of both paddy cultivation and irrigation practices in the KalengaIrrigation Scheme: and(d) to suggest in the light of the above problems, an appropriate land Use and management of the irrigation area.The study was undertaken in Kalenga Irrigation Scheme, in Iringa District. The project is located about 10 miles southwest of Iringa town (figure 1). This project was established by the Koreans in •collaboration with the Tanzanian Govt. in 1967. It was not until 1974 that paddy cultivation as the major land use of this area was abandoned. In order to attain the objectives stipulated, the following broad fields of investigations have been covered:(a) ecologic conditions - soil types, temperature conditions, amount and distribution of rainfall, all of which constitute important physical constraints on agricultural; these variables indeed determine in part the type of crops to be cultivated, the timing of agricultural operations the extent of risk involved and the improvements in agriculture; and(b) management aspects - these include irrigation techniques, crop husbandry methods and relations of production at the Kalenga Irrigation Scheme,Iringa District. Much as the study is centered on the role of the soil factors in the failure of Kalenga Irrigation Scheme, field and laboratory soil analysis have been conducted. In investigating the role of the management factors in the totalfailure of the scheme, a kind of questionnaire has been monitored against some people with the knowledge of the project. More information has been obtained from relevant literature in order to supplement the field research findings.The study of the failure of the Kalenga Irrigation scheme has been taken up at the time when Tanzania is embarking on irrigation practices in an endeavor to increase food production for feeding her growing population. In a nutshell, the study is intended to contribute to theimplementation of the agricultural campaign known as"agriculture as a matter of life and death" (Kilimo cha Kura na Kupona) by pinpointing the problems of irrigation agriculture and suggesting possible solutions.Three factors, however, have inspired this research work. The first is the enormous capital that was invested in the project only to and up in a failure. Secondly in theSecond Five Year Plan, irrigation schemes have been made an aspect in rural development. It is in the light of the two considerations that the third factor - experience, arises. It is the hope of the author that some lessons could be drawn fromthisstudy in relation to the future development of irrigation scheme Tanzania.Thisdoes not mean that the problems that the Kalenga Irrigation scheme faced are a commonplace. It is a truism that with time, knowledge increases and hence now techniques for problem solving develop. Even though key problemin onescheme may not beexactly duplicatedelsewhere knowledge of the causes of failure at one project may still provide valuable guidance in the determination of development strategy for similar schemes. Thesignificance of this research work is primarily based on this argument.It is worthwhile to note, however, that all the basic observations and Investigations have been made in Kalenga Division, Iringa District. wherever necessary national and international references have been made in order toattain a total view of the problem under study.