Indigenous knowledge and rangelands’ biodiversity conservation in Tanzania: success and failure

Abstract

Tanzania is one of the African countries endowed with diverse rangeland's biological resources hosting 6 out of 25 globally known biodiversity hotspots. Despite, government efforts on biodiversity conservation, the pressures on rangelands' biodiversity utilization are growing in line with increasing human population. With little recognition of contribution of local knowledge in biodiversity conservation, the current paper reviewed the potential of available indigenous knowledge in Tanzania and challenges limiting adoption of this vital knowledge on rangeland's biodiversity conservation. This review established that, the country has rich indigenous knowledge potential for rangeland management and biodiversity conservation. Traditional enclosures and pastoral mobility are among the important indigenous practices used for rehabilitation of degraded rangelands and conservation of fragile ecosystems. The coexistence of local communities with complex ecosystems offers them excellent experiences on rangelands' biodiversity conservation. However, increasingly loss of rangelands' biodiversity in the country is attributed to ignoring the contribution of local communities which are rich in indigenous knowledge and skills on rangelands management. Among of the challenges hindering the adoption and involvement of indigenous knowledge to conservation are; scientific bias toward pastoral communities, loss of local expertise, poor knowledge inheritance systems, poverty, conflicts and emergence of pandemic diseases. For effective and sustainable utilisation of indigenous knowledge, the following are recommended; fully engagement of local communities in conservation process, empowering local communities to reduce poverty and conflicts, mainstreaming the indigenous knowledge to conservation education, emphasising on livelihoods diversification to reduce reliance on biological resources and promoting studies to document existing indigenous knowledge.

Impact of Human Settlements on Diversity of Range Vegetation

“…Various studies in the desert ecosystems of Chile [7], Kuwait [8] and Egypt [9] have depicted livestock induced grazing as drastically effecting the vegetation quality, composition and cover. Research has shown that the most effected are the most frequently used rangeland areas [10]. Livestock congregations, usually near communities and watering points, generally have poor vegetation structure, composition and diversity due to regular trampling and heavy grazing [11].…”

The Influence of Tourists’ Experience on Destination Loyalty: A Case Study of Hue City, Vietnam

“…Scholars define satisfaction differently but almost agree that this concept is complex, encompassing cognitive and affective aspects and physiological and psychological dynamic elements [74]. References [75][76][77] stated that satisfied tourists are inclined to have desirable attraction behaviors. [78] agree that tourist satisfaction is calculated primarily by the attractiveness of tourist experience and recognizing satisfaction as an essential factor in establishing tourist loyalty.…”

Indigenous weather forecasting among Gujii pastoralists in southern Ethiopia: Towards monitoring drought

“…Indigenous knowledge can be described as institutionalized local place-based knowledge rooted in local cultures that is frequently passed down through oral traditions from generation to generation (Getahun 2016;Selemani 2020;Ngenga et al 2021). Many indigenous communities worldwide rely on indigenous weather forecasting to help them cope with or adapt to the impact of climate change-induced extremes in weather events (Nassef & Belayhun 2012).…”