LET’S CHANGE AND PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

Despite of the fact that Tanzania is among the leading country in possesing different valuable resources , (such as Mineral , Wildlife resources , Forests resources and fisheries) unfortunately we are facing the big challenge of unsustainable utilization of these resources. It is relevant that if this continues we are going to face a serious depletion of our resources for the coming years.The main problem for the unsustainable utilization of the resources perhaps is lack of education and awareness to the local community to practice advanced and modern techniques of utilization of natural resources so as to benefit but in sustainable manner.

This can be proved from recent report of threats on Wamimbiki forest resources caused by the people surrounding the Wami Mbiki forest reserve especially those found along Chalinze Mbwete roads and those between Mikese and Chalinze which supply a bulk amount of charcoal to Dar es salaam and Morogoro regions.The main reason for this is due to the presence of large public lands and abundance of the forest resources with good acces by roads. The fact which relays on the recently statistics from wami mbiki association shows that between 10000-50000 hectares are being degraded from each year due to ineffiency traditional charcoal production technique thus it support the fact of unsustainable utilization of natural resources.The relevancy of this statement is about 12 tonnes of wood are required to produce 1 tonne of charcoal while under improved technique about 7 to 9 tonnes are required to produce the same 1 tonne of charcoal.Thus we need to improve our technologies to improve our utilization of natural resources.



Further, it has been established that the benefits accruing to the community from the charcoal business is very low. Annually the communities get about 1 million TAS while traders in Dares salaam get over 6 million TAS. With an estimated forest area of about 102200 ha presently; the whole forest area will be totally degraded with in about 10 years from now. In case this scenario happens, charcoal dealers will be forced to encroach into the Core area to meet the charcoal demand considering that charcoal and fire wood will continue to be the major source of domestic energy. This situation will threaten the ecological stability of WMA, Sustainable charcoal production strategy is there fore essential to counter the threat.

If this stratergy is applied countrywide will contribute not only the protection of the Wami Mbiki ecosystem and more cash income to the communities through the formation of a charcoal production cooperative which will give more bargaining power in the overall charcoal trade but will benefits the rest of the country for the same.Finally the capacity of the community in tree planting and improved charcoal technology will be improved.