DO CITIZENS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT?

Washiriki wa mafunzo ya mradi wa 'Ushiriki wa Wananchi katika Usimamizi wa Maliasili' kijiji cha Ifwagi- Mufindi mkoani Iringa.

By Friday Simbaya, Iringa

Natural resources are natural resources such as forests, wildlife, soil, minerals, rivers, natural gas, coal, lakes and seas. Natural resources are important resources for any nation due to its important role in the development of social, economic, cultural and environmental. 

Natural resources belong to the country managed by the government through his ministry. Because natural resources belong to the citizens so they are obliged to manage and protect them for the benefit of present and future generations. In this article we will focus on forest and wildlife resources to see how citizens participate in the management of these resources.

Tanzania is among the few countries in the world to be blessed with forest and wildlife resources that are essential for the welfare of the economy, environmental protection and biodiversity. Despite this importance to the nation, these resources are disappearing rapidly due to illegal logging not following the rules, policies and guidelines.

All laws that are involved with the management of forest and wildlife resources indicate that these resources belong to the citizens, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism with its departments are mandated to administer on behalf of the citizens.

The concept of management of forest and wildlife resources started way back in Tanzania in the 1990s, to enable that the citizens discuss issues of forestry, wildlife and fisheries. 

This collaborative program aimed at moving power to the citizens who are the owners of these resources. This program was a major step in ensuring that citizens are actively involved in the management of those resources, rather than the government as before.

Management of Natural Resources aims to ensure that there is sustainable relationship between people and their resources. Management comprises planning and various measures regarding land use, water management, conservation biodiversity and promotional activities of agriculture, mining, tourism, fisheries and forestry. Human resource management is an important step in ensuring that natural resources are used efficiently and benefit the present and future generation.

Despite the government assigned the responsibility of management, there are research institutions that provide the guiding approach to wildlife management and forestry and contribute to the improvement of the management of these resources in the country.

However, because these resources belong to the citizens, every citizen has a responsibility to ensure that participating in the plan, afford, maintain, preserve and encourage the sustainable utilization of natural resources in the country. This role is the largest according to Article 27 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977.

In assessing the level of public participation in the management of forest and wildlife resources, we will examine the project “Participation of Citizens in Natural Resource Management, “implemented Lawyers Environmental Action Team (LEAT) with funding from the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).The project is being implemented in 32 villages of Iringa and Mufindi districts, Iringa region.

Speaking at the meeting held to review the project in Iringa and attended by government officials, including heads of Iringa and Mufindi districts, District Executive Directors (DEDs) of Iringa and Mufindi, village leaders and representatives of various segments of society.

LEAT CEO, Dr. Rugemeleza Shala said that the aim of the project is to enable local communities to monitor and manage natural resources responsibly, government, institutions, and departments responsible for the management of natural resources. 

He also said that the aim of the project is to facilitate better management of natural resources and the environment, a fair distribution of the benefits of exposure to natural resources, good governance, and the provision of good service to the community from the village to the district level.

He said that, before implementing the project (CEGO-NRM) LEAT team conducted a study on the level of participation of citizens in the management of natural resources in some of the villages that play a project, and realized that many people do not know that they the owners of the resources and the responsibility constitutionally and legally to ensure that the natural resources of the country are managed and preserved for the benefit of the present and future generations.

Dr. Shala further said that, because many citizens were unaware of their rights and responsibilities in the management of natural resources, also do not participate in planning, expenditure and revenue of their resources, in that sense; citizens do not get or do not see how they benefit directly and available resources in their villages.

With regard to village leaders, Dr. Shala said that some village leaders have little understanding about smart management of natural resources, but claimed ignorance of policies, laws and institutions that manage natural resources. 

He explained that, village leaders have been mandated by the central government to support the implementation of various government activities at different levels, include natural resource management in accordance with the law. 

The power and jurisdiction given to village leaders are described well in the laws and policies governing natural resources.

There is a famous saying which states that 'If you do not know your rights you cannot claim it', as well as your obligation can not implement it'.

If the village leaders were aware of the legal authority and power given to management of natural resources, they will educate and sensitize communities on participatory forest and wildlife management.

That is, there would be no significant increase in the destruction of these resources, and they would be able to hold accountable the destroyers of natural resources in accordance with the law.

Referring to the challenges in the management of natural resources, Dr. Shala said, citizens with an understanding of the importance of natural resource management have participated in the capturing of destroyers of forests and wildlife and take them to village governments where they expect that legal action could be taken against the culprits, but have been discouraged by village government officials not taking any action or impose a fine for the privilege.

He cited the challenges that occurred in Idodi and Mfyome villages in Iringa district, Ludilo and Tambalang'ombe villages in Mufindi district; He said citizens of villages complained by mechanism, village leaders fines smaller accused who in one way or another they have a relationship with them. 

Also citizens have complained of some suspected offenses forest degradation release without any fines, these events are discouraging the citizens and make them see the importance of managing their natural resources.

In late January, 2016 in the village of Mfyome Iringa district, the citizens arrested 298 timber harvested from Gangalamtumba natural forest, the suspect appeared in the local administration, where he was fined sh. 50,000 and timber were confiscated by the village government. 

In a village meeting held in March, 2016, citizens claimed that the suspect was found guilty 298 wood and pay a small levy, had to compared with the other suspect with 27 timber was charged Shs 300,000 including confiscation of timber by the village government. 

Gangalamtumba is natural forest with a size of approximately 6,000 hectares is a mainstay of the residents of Mawere and Mfyome villages in Iringa district. 

According to the citizens living in the villages, it is estimated that approximately 50 hectares of Gangalamtumba natural forest have been destroyed completely due to not following harvesting procedure. 

The Forests managed by the Forest Act No. 14 of 2002, which defines the procedure for the management of forests in the country, and pointed out that the citizens are owners of forest resources, but is managed by the government through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. The law states how citizens are to be involved in forest management.

For his part, Iringa District Commissioner Richard Kasesela has condemn the tendency of people cutting down trees in natural forests and urging the cutting of trees in the forest plantation to follow established procedures. 

He also cautioned village leaders who incite illegal logging in natural forests in favor of making unproductive personal benefit to the nation. 

The district commissioner said that the leaders when they found strong action will be taken in accordance with the law. 

In addition he called on village governments and district councils actively participate in Natural Resource Management project to provide education to citizens and facilitate capturing of destroyers of forests, and to ensure that this project be sustained even after the donors leave.

The challenge of deforestation in the country also was expressed in the speech of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in 2015/16 said a total of 372,000 hectares are lost each year due to the destruction of human activities in areas that managed by district councils.

This damage is one of the reasons the project implementation of the participation of citizens in the management of natural resources, forests and wildlife to empower communities to participants in managing.

The forests are important source of energy, with the some forest has sheltered and non-sheltered continues experiencing numerous challenges, including fires, charcoal, and logging in favor of exporting countries. 

These challenges contribute to the drying up of water sources, disappearance of vegetation and growing impact of climate change.

Lack of water and energy has serious implications for women as they have to walk longer distances to find water and energy consumption in favor of the family, while being responsible for contributing to the family income. 

Climate change is a side effect that has begun to appear more in the desert lands because of the emissions. Impacts of climate change include rising temperatures, a decrease in summer rainfall and reduced food production.

Other effects are thereby causing loss of government revenue which could be used in improving social services like health, education, infrastructure and economic growth in countries wan to provide small and medium jobs for many people. Illegal logging of forests is helping a few people with many leaving them in poverty.

Tanzania is among the few nations on earth with a great wealth of wildlife resources. This wealth has led to the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries. With this wealth Tanzania faces challenges conservation and keeping wildlife as well as extreme poaching especially the elephants and rhinos caused by increased business of the horns of these animals in Far East.

Others animals such as gazelles and buffalos will face the problem of poaching due to various human demands.

In ensuring that forest resources and wildlife are protected and preserved, Tanzania has formulated policies, rules, regulations and guidelines but poor implementation of the law has remained a major obstacle to keep bringing good management in the natural resource sector.

The law of conservation of wildlife No. 5 of 2009 has outlined the responsibilities of citizens in the areas of wildlife management, the establishment of protected areas in the land of villages and identify important relationships between wildlife resources and forests, and the need to cooperate and coordinate in ensuring sustainable use of forests and wildlife. It also stated mistakes and penalties that will be provided.

According to the report of the expert studies around the elephant, Douglas Hamilton, 1976, Selous Game Reserve with surrounding areas had a population of elephants 109,000. Research conducted in 2013; found that Selous Game Reserve was only 13,084 elephants. Those figures suggest the endangered elephants in our country.

Selous Game Reserve should be noted that the reserve was declared by UNESCO to be a 'World Heritage' this is due to big number of many animals, including elephants.

In 2013, around the Wildlife Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) and WWF did a quick assessment on the border of Tanzania and Mozambique and discovered the size of the illegal timber trade. In the study it was found that Tanzania was estimated to lose 7.5 billion shillings for the forestry sector in the three border districts and Nanyumbu and Masasi in Mtwara region and Tunduru in Ruvuma region.

Given the pace of illegal logging of forests and wildlife, there is a need for all stakeholders to eradicate such practices as policies, laws directed. 

Power to be added to continue providing education to citizens but also patriotism is important in management. Patriotism is important because some citizens and local leaders and the central government have contributed in one way or an array of other in facilitating illegal logging, which has no national productivity. 

For these few in stances ask, what citizens are involved in natural resource management? Is it okay to vacate international development agencies to fight poachers just as we see, as if it?

Until now the project has offered training for wildlife committee members 1,259, 87 councilors, 27 Natural Resources District officials and 1961citizens. 

Members have learned policies, laws and guidelines governing natural resources. LEAT also conducted training on beekeeping for 702 people and protective clothing from bees; the goal is to reduce dependence on income from logging and poaching of wildlife.

Every Tanzanian has an obligation to protect and manage natural resources-participate now!