Wetlands resources and their contributions to local livelihoods in the Rufiji basin, Rufiji district

Knowledge on the contribution of wetlands resources to the livelihoods of the rural people is insufficient in Rufiji wetlands. In order to improve this knowledge, the study was carried out in Rufiji wetlands in the villages of Mbunju-Mvuleni and Mtanza-Msona of Mkongo and Mwaseni wards respectively to understand the significance of the Rufiji wetlands resources to the livelihoods of the local communities and their implication on the integrity of the wetland ecosystems. Data were collected through PRA, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and participatory transect walks and supplemented by detailed household questionnaires administered to 112 randomly selected households in the two villages. Data were analysed using SPSS, MS-excel and Instart. Results revealed that wetland resources have significant contribution to the livelihoods of the local communities adjacent to the wetlands. Wetland agriculture and fishing are the main livelihood activities for more than 96% of the wetland adjacent communities. Harvests from wetland farming, worth more than 1500 USD are accrued per household each year whereas non-wetland farming provides less than 400 USD only a year per household. Fisheries from the wetlands provide more than 94% of the household protein requirements. Wetland resources contribute about 65% of the direct household annual income amounting to about 1700 USD million per household each year. About 40% of the poorest households obtain about 41% of their food requirements from non-wood wetland resources a year. More than 76% of the population depend on medicinal plants from wetlands and about 43% use them as the only reliable source of medication. It is recommended that wetland development undertakings should explicitly understand and take into account the role of wetland resources to rural community’s’ livelihoods. In addition, there is a need of having a properly organised process in wetland resources utilisation.