The influence of population change on forest resources in Tanzania

This study investigates the influence of population change on miombo woodlands in Uyui district, Tabora region, Tanzania. The special attention was paid to the ways in which population change influenced the miombo woodlands degradation. It also explored the impacts of miombo woodlands degradation on the people. The efforts taken by the people against miombo woodlands degradation were also assessed. The study involved 227 heads of households from three selected villages and the field survey took place between August and November 2004. Census reports of 1988 and 2002 were used to determine population change while the status of the miombo woodlands was determined by using Uyui district land use maps of 1984 and 1995. Geographical Information System (GIS) technique was used to calculate the areas of the main woodland use/cover categories between 1984 and 1995. Both purposeful and simple random sampling techniques were used to select study area and sample elements respectively. Semi structured interview, focus group discussion, field observation and documentary methods were used during field survey to collect data. The study findings show that there has been a significant change of both population and miombo woodlands in Uyui district. Human population of Uyui district had increased by 87.2 percent from 150,164 people in 1988 to 281,101 people in 2002. Annual population growth rate also increased from 3.4 percent in 1988 to 4.5 percent in 2002. Also, the sample villages show the population increase in the same period. The population of Goweko village had increased from 2,746 people in 1988 to 3,858 people in 2002, while in Nsololo and Kamama villages’ population had increased from 3,172 and 1, 413 in 1988 to 3,758 and 4,966 people in 2002 respectively. The villages’ average growth rates changed from 3.2 percent in 1988 to 4.2 percent in 2002. Natural increase and in-migration are the main factors for population growth in the study area. On the other hand miombo woodlands cover decreased from 69.5 percent in 1984 to 47.8 percent in 1995. Ways of crop and livestock farming, settlement development, fuelwood harvesting and timber extraction were the main factors which influenced miombo woodlands degradation in the study area. These involved extensive crop farming, overstocking and over harvesting of miombo woodlands for house construction, timber extraction and fuelwood energy. To establish sustainable relationship between population growth and miombo woodland resources in the study areas, there is a need to create conducive socio-economic conditions of the human population which in turn leads to miombo woodlands resources development. This involves introduction of family planning services, intensification of agriculture, tree planting, change of building materials from poles and grasses to bricks and corrugated iron sheets; timber extraction restriction and use of alternative sources of energy.