Assessment of preferential tools for environmental information preferred by rural people: the case of Mkuranga Villages Coast Region, Tanzania

Environmental information dissemination tools are the source of environmental information. These tools plays an important role in creating information-rich societies and in improving the performance and transparency of environmental authorities and organizations. Among other factors lack of enough social services has made rural people illiterate and have low incomes, hence they can hardly access environmental information. Access to environmental information is vital for of policies, public participation and for designing measures conducive to sustainable development. To assess the methods of environmental information dissemination preferred by rural people, data was collected by using questionnaires, interviews and observations. There were 100 questionnaires, 25 for each of the four villages. Environmental information dissertation methods used in Mkuranga are ratio, village meetings, posters, books, magazines and group discussions, where radio is the most preferred method. The major problem in environmental information dissemination in this District is untimely delivery of environmental information. The study recommends that radio should be used as the major media for environmental information dissemination in rural areas, village leaders should be well equipped becauise they play important role in information dissertation in rural areas. Delivering environmental information in rural areas should be relevant to people’s level of education and economic activities. NGOs involvement is crucial in dissemination of environmental information in rural areas and on improving infrastructure in rural areas.