Community participation in environmental management: the need for women participation: a survey of Morogoro Rural district

The problem of environmental degradation on the slopes of the Uluguru mountains and on the plains at its foot is a result of human activity in the area. As population increases, the problem also increases in magnitude thus the need for sound environmental management strategies and approaches. Since the community exploits resources in the environment for survival, their participation in environmental management practices is of vital importance. This study therefore, attempts to examine the land use and environmental management practices in the study area. Since sustainable environmental management is achieved through community participation, the extent to which the community in the study area participate in practices like tree planting, terracing, and maintenance of soil fertility will be examined. Demographic and socio-economic factors like age, sex, household size, income level and education level of the heads of the household which may influence the implementation of these practices will also be examined. Since women are the people interacting with the environment most by the virtue of their roles, and therefore the most hit by environmental degradation, their participation in environmental management practices is also examined. Data for the study is obtained from a survey conducted in two villages in Morogoro Rural District in September 1994: The household was used as the basic unit of the survey. A sample of 12.5% was drawn from each village. The main instruments used in data collection were open ended and closed questionnaires for the head of the household, their wives, and the village government leaders. In analysing the data, descriptive statistics and statistical tests (Chi-Square test and correlation tests) were used. The study revealed that the study area has undergone degradation due to indiscriminate tree cutting, expansion of agricultural land, cultivation of marginal lands, wild fires and non use of fertilizers. This is manifested in low crop yields, and consequently low income. Also the scarcity of water and fuel wood, which subject women to walk for long distances in search for these resources are indicators of environmental degradation. Efforts of environmental management put forth by the governments (Colonial and National) and also by different nongovernmental organizations, have achieved very minimal results. The main contributing factors were found to be the adherence to the traditional land use practices, land tenure system, and approaches used in instituting environmental management programs which lack community participation particularly women participation. In the light of the findings of the study, it is recommended that, bridging the gap between the planner and the planned for, use of the "bottom up" approach in instituting environmental management projects with active women participation being taken into consideration, adoption of land use methods and energy consumption technologies which conserve rather than degrade the environment are made. Furthermore, adjustments in traditional land tenure system and institution of environmental law were made.