The effectiveness of natural resource governance: a case of coastal forests in coast region, Tanzania

This study examined the effectiveness of natural resource governance the focus being Coastal forests in two districts, Kisarawe and Kibaha in Coast Region. It explores the state of Coastal forest resources, identifying structures for governance and eventually assesses their effectiveness. The study involved both secondary and primary data. Secondary data were collected from existing sources such as Census reports, journals, District and Regional socio-economic profiles. Primary data were collected through interviews, discussion with key informants and field observation. Two Wards from Kisarawe district were sampled and Kibaha ward was used from Kibaha district. Five villages were involved in this study and the total sample was 211 respondents. Research findings show that 89.6% of respondents perceived that coastal forests are changing, while 10.4% said to be not changing. Furthermore 66.8% were of the view that forests resources were decreasing. Several reasons were reported by respondents. About 48.4% pointed weak governance structures as the major factor. 16.8% and 15.6% claimed population growth and growth of towns respectively. The energy consumption at household level, fuel wood had the largest percentage as (72.9%) while only 22.9% depended on charcoal. The structures set in place for natural resources governance were Central and local governments, Organizations such as the Care, Plan, TFCG, WAMIRU, WCST, on the basis of the findings it is recommended that Central government should take measures to support the structures for natural resource governance, such as legal frameworks, organizations and decision making bodies. So as to make them more effective by empowering them and most of all initiate self sustaining capacity building.