“LIVING BEEHIVE” OPENS IN COP17 EXHIBITIONS

Last Thursday I had the privilege of attending the unveiling of the magnificent Living Beehive at the Durban Botanic Gardens. Durban’s mayor, James Nxumalo, attended the event and promised to nurture the structure as a lasting legacy of COP 17.

FARMERS WOW AT COP17

Farmers, African Farmers, Resilient Farmers. On this Farmers Day, we had the African Farmers 'Kamunkunji' or Parliament if you like. Farmers from Lesotho, Swaziland, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia among others attended and actively participated in the event.

GLOBAL WARMING, NOTHING BUT DESTRUCTION

Global warming, global warming, global warming
What global warming to talk about
What good is in global warming?
What beauty is in global warming?
Nothing but destruction

THE BENEFICIARIES OF MOUNT KIMANDOLU FOREST RESERVE

The idea of urban tourism was introduced in the year 2004-2005 by Arusha Municipal Council and Kimandolu Hill was selected to be among one of Tourism attractions. The project aimed at creating income generating activities to the council by introducing attractions of different kinds on the hill so as to be good destination place for tourist before they go to other tour places.

WE MUST MAKE MORE EFFORTS TO CONSERVE OUR ENVIRONMENT.

Tanzania like many other countries across the globe realizes the effects of environmental degradation. The effects of environmental degradation are well documented. Thanks to many efforts at regional and local levels, Tanzania established the environmental management Act, 2004(EMA) to regulate matters affecting the environment.

The authority is a step in the right direction but complementary efforts are very critical to avoid disasters occasioned by missteps in environmental utilization.

“PROMOTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AROUND LAKE VICTORIA”

The importance of fisheries resource in the Lake Victoria basin cannot be over emphasized as it provides direct employment to about 300000 Tanzanians and other indirect employment to about three million people. Its contribution to export volume dotes to Tshs. 194 billion. This is according to various reports released in conferences. In spite of this crucial importance, fisheries resources are increasingly under serious threat due to various reasons. These include reduced fish stocks, decline of biodiversity, food and nutritional insecurity-all being a result of overfishing and illegal fishing.

ROBANDA THREATENS TO WITHDRAW FROM THE COALITION OF WMA

Robanda village is threatening to withdraw from Ikona Wildlife Management Area (WMA) that is made up of five villages of Serengeti District in Mara Region, describing it as helpless.

The village average annual income has decreased from 350m/- to 10m/- after joining the WMA bordering the world famous Serengeti National Park and game reserves of Ikorongo and Grumeti. Other villages forming the WMA are Robanda, Park Nyigoti, Natta Mbiso, Makundusi and Nyichoka.

THE CRY OF MOTHER EARTH

My name is mother Earth. The mother and father of all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, failures and heroes.
I am here to register both my annoyances and grievances caused by my spouse called Humanity!!!!Hey you Mr. Man! Don’t you know that you depend on my loving and that without me you are nothing? But i don’t feel our love is any more mutual, because it seems to you i am no longer special.
Mind you i am the mother and father of all creation and my love goes beyond the boundary of your nation.

MNATAKA MUNGU ASHUKE ILI AJE KULINDA MALI ASILI ZETU?

Jukumu la kulinda Mali asili za nchi ni la kila mmoja wetu. Kila Mtanzania ana jukumu la kuhakikisha kwamba mali asili za nchi zinalindwa na kusimamiwa vizuri ili hata vizazi vijavyo viweze kunufaika na mali asili zilizopo nchini. Mbali na jukumu la ulinzi wa mali asili kuwa ni la kila Mtanzania, kuna watu wengine ambao kimsingi wamepewa dhamana ya usimamizi na ulinzi wa mali asili hizi, ambao ni pamoja na watumishi wa idara ya misitu au maafisa misitu, maafisa wanyamapori na maafisa uvuvi.

ADOPTING SUSTAINABLE LAND USE MANAGEMENT (SLM) FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN TANZANIA

Agricultural land is getting scarce as the population grows and the high pressure on land for agricultural production sometimes leads to cleaning of natural vegetation and cultivation on steep slopes.

MAASAI WOMEN SUFFERINGS

Women in Loovikuny village encounter hardship situation because of climate change to the area which caused by drought. In earlier time 1970’s there was no such problem but due to the population in the area the situation was changed and cause many problem to women and children who are the working group in Maasai culture.

WHY SHOULD WE PRACTICE INNER PEACE?

We can look at this from a few different angles. Suppose that we were to take a bucket and scoop up some water, including a bit of muddy sediment, from a lake. The water is a bit murky because the sediment has been mixed with the water and is in motion. If someone was to ask what is inside of the water, would we be able to tell them? We might be able to make some good guesses. Maybe there's a piece of a tire, maybe a shoe, or a license plate, or maybe a fish. In reality we would have to wait for the sediment to settle for us to really be able to see and then know.

TO WHOM ARE NGOs ACCOUNTABLE?

There has been misconception about NGO’s and donors. Many people failed to understand to whom these NGOs are accountable. I have been touched by this subject and fix on to disclose the hidden mysterious to Donors, NGO’s members and those who wish to have NGOs in the near future since having this piece of information, I believe, will enforce the stakeholders to change their attitude positively and push forward Tanzanian’s developments in all aspects of culture, social economic and political.

CONGRATULATION TEMEKE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, MORE IS EXPECTED.

Few months ago we had witnessed four Lories from Hyundai company been given to Temeke Municipal council for caring wastes to the dumps. The main objective was to make the city clean, attractive, and conducive for human beings to live and enjoy the environment as in other developed city’s in the world, “Congratulation”.

The Temeke municipal Director said “the lories could help to solve the problem of wastes scattered in different areas in the municipality”, it’s true that the lorries have brought the new hope about the city’s cleanliness but I want to remind the district government that they have challenges to educate the citizens.

DECENT EMPLOYMENT A PATHWAY OUT OF POVERTY

High percent of the world’s poor live in rural areas. Rural communities generally rely on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and livestock for their livelihoods. Many rural workers remain poor because they receive low earnings and live and work in precarious conditions, are vulnerable to health and other shocks and have little access to risk-coping mechanisms such as insurance or social assistance.

YES “EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER” EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO CONSERVATION.

Unlike other wards of Meru district which COMECA is implementing the project on the 1998 forest policy training, Songoro does not have that much forest degradation as compared to her neighbors, Nkwarisambu and Sing'isi. The hills of this periphery ward looks well conserved, the trees and other vegetation looking younger in most parts. When you are here, u can hardly feel that scorching sun which is a character in most dry not-well-conserved areas including populated urban areas.

NURTURING CONSERVATION SKILLS AMONG THE LEADERS IS NOW THE WAY TO GO!

A recent training on Community Based Forest Management at Seela village of Singisi ward in the new Meru district has brought into attention that sometimes our environment could be well conserved if we could equip and train our local leaders with conservation skills.

IS IT RIGHT TIME TO EMPOWER VILLAGE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEES?

The Mkupuka Village Natural Resource Committee found near Ikwiriri in Rufiji district has proven the fact that it is possible for communities to protect their own forest resources. It was 3rd September of this year (2011) when we caught timber harvested illegally in our forest (Ngumburuni Forest) said Mkupuka village chairperson Mr Issa Moyogani.
I have reported to the village council and we have agreed to sell all timber confiscated, 70% will go to the village government for village development and 30% will support village natural resource committee

THE CAMPAIGN OF CONSERVING THE LUNGS OF DAR ES SALAAM WILL RESCUE KAZIMZUMBWI AND PUGU FOREST RESERVE

Pugu and Kazimzumbwi forest reserve is a big resource which is available at Ilala district in Dar es Salaam and Kisarawe in coastal region. Different environmental expert claims that, those reserves have resources including different animals and plants. These forests reserves are a source of Kizinga river which are the one of river which preserves water downwards in Dar es Salaam region

A CRY FROM ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEES IN MBEYA CITY!!

Mbeya city has wards environmental committees which were formed in 2007 but they don’t have full mandate in operation as their cry. The committees comprise of members from each street within the ward. They were formed in order to supervise the environmental conservation and protection.

I visited Ruanda and Ilomba wards environmental committees where I met with its members from streets. The environmental committee members directed their cry to the Mbeya city council on the environmental department especially to the City Environmental Management Officer, health officers and local community.