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Community Perception of Climate Change and Altered
Usage Patterns of Non-Timber Forest Products by
Forest-Dependent Communities around New-Dabaga
Ulonghambi, Tanzania
Upendo Msalilwa 1 , Suzana Augustino 2 and Peter
Reuben Gillah 2
1 Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, P.O. Box 1854,
Morogoro, Tanzania
2 Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3014,
Morogoro, Tanzania
Email for correspondence: upemsa@gmail.com
Abstract
Climate change is currently one of the greatest
environmental challenges facing humankind. We
investigated the local peoples’ perceptions of climate
change and the use of NTFPs as a response to perceived
change around the New Dabaga-Ulongambi Forest
Reserve (NDUFR). Primary data were obtained using
Participatory Research Approaches including focus
group discussions and household questionnaires.
Climate data from 1980 to 2011 show that temperature
has increased, while rainfall is characterized by large
inter-annual variability, with peak rains in 1997 and
2010. The local peoples’ perceptions of climate change
were in line with the available climatic data records. In
response to climatic changes, communities living around
the NDUFR use more than one strategy to cope with
change; 43% of respondents admitted to use NTFPs at
households for food as well as selling to generate
income. Mixed cropping and on-farm tree planting were
other adaptations strategies helping people to improve
their livelihoods. Awareness creation on short-term
crops with short rotation, establishment of beekeeping
enterprises and formulation of tree planting groups are
needed to sustain peoples’ livelihoods. Sustainable
harvesting of NTFPs is crucial so as to reduce
overexploitation of forest resources.
Keywords: Perceptions, climate change, adaptation and
Non-timber Forest Products.
Environmental and Socio-cultural impacts of Tourism
on Livelihood of Indigenous Communities living along
the Tourist Road from Makuyuni to Ngorongoro gate in
Arusha, Tanzania
Masinda, Maswet Crescent
University of Dodoma, P. O Box 295, Dodoma-Tanzania
E-mail: sweatmn@yahoo.com
Abstract
The study assessed social-cultural and environmental
impacts of tourism on livelihood of indigenous societies
along 130 km tourist road from Makuyuni to
Ngorongoro gate in Arusha, Tanzania. Questionnaires
structured around the Likert scale, focused group
discussion, interviews and documentation review
methods were used to investigate community
perceptions towards tourism impacts. Qualitative and
quantitative information from 135 respondents were
gathered, measured, and interpreted. All the
respondents agreed that tourism activities were the
main cause of socio-cultural and environmental changes
in the area. About 70% were more concerned that
tourism activities were causing cultural distortion,
commoditization of culture, shortage of land, health
problems, increase cost of living, and overutilization of
natural resources. However, 62% of the respondent
perceived tourism as a tool that brings people of
different cultures together provides direct contact
between the two parties, understanding between
nations, and leads to employment, financial gain for
individuals and environmental conservation. The study
concludes that despite all the negative and positive
impacts of tourism on the area, it is not yet clear
whether the benefits outweigh the costs in perspectives
of the local people. A reason for this vagueness is that
52% of respondents favoured tourism while 48%
condemned it as a dirty industry.
Keywords: Tourism, Environment, Livelihood, Social
Cultural heritage, Ngorongoro
TAAG First African Student’s Conference, Nairobi. 2-4 July, 2013 54