Table 3 - uploaded by G. C. Kajembe
Content may be subject to copyright.
Source publication
This study investigated contribution of miombo woodland resources accrued from Urumwa Forest Reserve (UFR) to income of rural households. Data and conclusions are based on 84 randomly surveyed households in four villages adjacent to UFR. Using descriptive statistics, the analysis was guided by the sustainable livelihood framework conceptual model....
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... and charcoal making) undertaken to cope with shocks are not permanent, rather households engage in such activities during periods of shocks or stress associated with food insecurity. Products and services derived from miombo woodland of UFR Table 3 summarizes characteristics of the 16 reported woodland products and services derived by households from the miombo woodland of the UFR. The reported woodland products and services cover basic household needs including firewood, charcoal, construction materials, food and medicines. ...
Context 2
... the study area, 95% of the surveyed households use firewood as the main source of energy (Table 3). Data from PRA indicated that firewood is used for cooking, brick making, local brew making, tobacco curing, warming and lighting. ...
Context 3
... few (21%) households in the study area claimed to be engaged in charcoal making in the UFR (Table 3). However, this is contrary to researchers' observations, as charcoal making was observed to be a prominent livelihood activity in the UFR. ...
Context 4
... materials reported by households include thatching grass (57%), pole (54%), rope (48%) and timber (8%) ( Table 3) (50) 5 (56) 0 (0) 15 (18) Note: NA denotes not applicable. Percentages in parentheses. ...
Context 5
... types of wild food from the miombo woodland were reported in this study (Table 3). They include edible wild fruit (24%), edible wild vegetable (18%), edible mushroom (18%), honey (18%) edible insect (17%) and wild meat (4%). ...
Context 6
... 60 species of medicinal plants have been reported in the study area (Table 3). Data from key informant interviews revealed that medicinal plants are used by households as a livelihood strategy to substitute the otherwise expensive and unreliable health services. ...
Similar publications
Dryland forests provide essential resources critical to the survival of human and animal populations. They are particularly important in developing countries where community livelihoods are often directly dependent upon the use of natural resources in these habitats. In Botswana, as elsewhere in Africa, dryland forests are under increasing pressure...
Citations
... Since time immemorial, plants have been used to remedy various human and animal ailments, and they are considered vital in human healthcare [1]. Plants offer livelihood benefits, including timber, firewood, food, fodder, medicine, construction materials, and income [2,3]. The medicinal plant (MP) knowledge has advanced across nations, cultures, and over time and space based on various medicinal systems. ...
This study is aimed at documenting the indigenous knowledge and quantitative analysis of medicinal plants (MPs) used by traditional health practitioners (THPs) of Urambo District in mid-western Tanzania to manage respiratory tract disorders (RTDs). The ethnomedicinal data were collected using semistructured interviews with 55 THPs using a snowballing technique in the district. The data were analysed for indigenous knowledge among gender, age groups, education status, and experience. Family importance value (FIV), use value (UV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), informant consensus factor (ICF), and Jaccard index (JI) were computed. A total of 42 MPs representing 28 families were recorded being used against RTDs in the district. Fabaceae was the dominant family in terms of species (16.7%) and FIV (84%). Decoction (51.0%) was the preferred technique for preparing remedies, while trees (61.9%) and leaves (38.1%) were the most utilised life form and plant parts, respectively. The RFC in the current study varied from 0.055 (Musa paradisiaca L.) to 0.655 (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) and 0.073 (Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn.) to 0.673 (Entada abyssinica Steud. ex A.Rich.), respectively. The highest ICF was recorded for cough (0.922). The JI ranged from 2.7 to 7.9. Among the documented MPs, 55% had least concern, 2% were endangered, 7% had data deficiency conservation status, and 36% had no record in the IUCN Red List. The study revealed that the district’s population depends on MPs for healthcare. Thus, conservation strategies are needed for the sustainable utilisation of the MPs. Importantly, the documented MPs hold immense potential in future pharmacological and phytochemical studies, offering hope for the development of new drugs for RTDs. Also, the study suggests the need for scientific validation of the MP’s efficacy and safety.
... Despite the acts being seen as potential solutions to issues like degradation and resource conflicts, such issues persist and escalate, notably due to factors like livestock overgrazing. While existing studies have explored various aspects of miombo woodland forests, including biodiversity conservation (Lupala et al., 2015;Mtimbanjayo & Sangeda, 2018;Njana et al., 2013) and community engagement (Ruvuga et al., 2020;Thomas et al., 2014), there is a gap in assessing the practical application of decentralized decision-making over these forests. This study adopts a qualitative approach to address the key question: is decentralized decision-making, as proposed in the acts, being effectively implemented in the study villages? ...
Despite legal reforms such as the Local Government (District Authorities) Act of 1982 and the Forest Act of 2002, which decentralize forest management in Tanzania’s villages, the persistent degradation of Miombo woodland forests, primarily due to livestock activities, raises concerns about the effectiveness of these reforms. This study compares the provisions of these acts with on-ground realities through data from 27 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 45 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Thematic analysis using NVIVO 12 software identified four key discrepancies: decision-making structures, decision-making processes, gender involvement, and village collaboration. Findings show that villagers often unknowingly delegate legislative power to leaders, decision-making is politicized with minimal stakeholder engagement, gender inclusivity is minimal, and villages manage forests independently rather than collaboratively. These gaps have led to biased decisions, conflicts among user groups, forest encroachment, and the neglect of women's needs, exacerbating forest degradation. To address these issues, the study recommends capacity building through leadership and technical training for village councils, community education on legal rights, and improved transparency via public forums and accessible reporting. These initiatives aim to empower local communities and foster sustainable management of Miombo woodland forests
... Africa, including Tanzania, where it is found in Miombo woodlands and is used for construction and furniture making, as well as traditional medicine to treat fever, diarrhoea, and skin diseases [13][14][15]. Therefore, whereas the conservation and domestication of native species is important for the restoration of the deforested land, the use of Pericopsis angolensis is constrained by poor survival and growth rate in the nursery and early establishment in the field [14,15]. ...
Nursery practices are integral to the successful germination, growth, and survival of tree species. However, limited attention has been given to the establishment, management, and performance of seedlings of many indigenous tree species in nursery settings. This study investigated the performance of Pericopsis angolensis seedlings under varying nursery conditions, including shading intensities (SI) (A Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) with a 3 x 3 x 3 factorial arrangement was employed. The results revealed that SI had a significant influence on various growth parameters, including root-collar diameter (RCD), shoot height (SH), and leaf count (LC). Specifically, the highest SI (75%) was found to be the primary factor influencing these parameters. Moreover, the study demonstrated that both PS and PM composition significantly influenced leaf development. Larger PSs were associated with increased LC. Notably, seedling biomass was highly affected by SI and PS, with larger pots resulting in greater seedling productivity. It is suggested that shade circumstances be carefully managed, with a focus on maintaining 50% SI for the best results, to maximize the growth of Pericopsis angolensis seedlings. This can be accomplished by choosing planting areas with naturally occurring shade or by using shade structures. In addition, this study emphasizes the potential advantages of employing larger PSs composed of forest topsoil to increase seedling productivity, and thus biomass production.
... Studies such as [27] reported on the nutritional composition and antioxidant properties of four species of wild edible fruits in southern Tanzania, and [28] reviewed usable wild plant species in relation to elevation and land use in mountainous areas of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Few studies have documented Tanzania's availability, preference, and consumption of wild edible fruits [29][30][31][32][33]. However, studies on the cultural significance of wild fruits and the threats due to human modifications are missing, especially in the miombo woodlands of western Tanzania. ...
... The districts surveyed feature three agroecological zones based on their topography, which varies from low-lying plains, flat to undulating with isolated hills and ridges with outcrops of more resistant basement rocks. The climate is warm, and the mean annual temperature is around 23 °C, with a maximum monthly temperature varying between 27 and 30 °C, while the minimum monthly temperature varies from 15 to 18 °C [33]. The region's cooler months begin from May to July, with warmer periods from August to November. ...
... The people in the study locations have diverse livelihood activities. The main socio-economic activities include crop farming, livestock keeping [33], and beekeeping [39]. Farmed crops include cash (tobacco, groundnut and sunflower) and subsistence (maize, sweet potatoes, cassava, millet, rice, and beans). ...
Background
Wild edible fruits found in Tanzania's miombo woods are an indispensable source of food and medicine. Unfortunately, with the rapid expansion of human activities and urbanisation in the Tabora rural, Uyui and Sikonge districts of Western Tanzania, some wild fruits are disappearing due to the loss of plant diversity. The objectives of this study wereL: to document the knowledge related to wild edible fruits; to quantify the use and cultural significance, and to determine their threats.
Methods
The ethnobotanical study was conducted from June 2022 to February 2023 involving 244 local informants. The study used field visits, the collection of plant parts, and semi-structured interviews with locals for its data collection. Descriptive statistics and correlation test were used to analyse the knowledge related to wild fruits. Frequency citation (f) and use reports (UR) were computed to understand the diversity and cultural significance (CI).
Results
The study documented 27 wild edible fruit species used for food and medicine. The life form constituted deciduous shrubs or trees (64%), shrub trees (21%) and evergreen or deciduous trees (15%). About (56%) of wild edible fruits were collected from June to August after the rainy season, (33%) were harvested between December and May during the rainy season, and (11%) were gathered from September and November before the rainy season. Household size and sex of the respondents were significantly correlated to the knowledge of wild edible fruits. Higher utilisation frequency (f) was recorded for Vitex mombassae Vatke (f = 0.84), Strychnos spinosa Lam. (f = 0.82), Vitex payos (Lour.) Merr. (f = 0.56), Phyllogeiton discolor (Klotzsch) Herzog. (f = 0.45), Vangueria infausta Burchell (f = 0.45), Tamarindus indica L. (f = 0.38), Parinari curatellifolia (f = 0.25), Landolphia parvifolia K.Schum. (f = 0.22) and Microcos conocarpa Burret (f = 0.22) fruits species. Additionally, Phyllogeiton discolor (Klotzsch) Herzog. (UR = 56), Vitex mombassae Vatke (UR = 56), Tamarindus indica L. (UR = 37), Strychnos spinosa Lam. (UR = 14) and Friesodielsia obovata (Benth.) Verdc. (UR = 11), have higher use reports (UR) and considered culturally important. Wild fruits were used to cure diabetes, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and respiratory infections ailments.
Discussion and conclusion
Multiple uses as well as the related knowledge of wild fruits have been documented. Friesodielsia obovata, Grewia flavescens Juss and Thespesia garckeana F.Hoffm. are the medicinal fruit species reported for the first time. Harvesting of wood plants, charcoal activities, crop cultivation, grazing expansion, and environmental change, have had an impact on the diversity of wild edible fruit plants. Over the past three decades, the use of wild fruits has been impacted by the loss of plant diversity due to decline of cultural norms on the forests management. Given the variety of uses for wild fruits, promoting markets for native fruits, sensitising the locals about the cultural importance and innovation on processing techniques are necessary to spur conservation efforts.
... In Tanzania, it covers about 44 million hectares, equivalent to 91% of the total forested area (Abdallah and Monela 2007; MNRT 2015). Most of the miombo woodlands are found in the village and general lands and, therefore, important for rural livelihood, including as a source of fuelwood, food, medicine, construction materials (fibre, withies, poles and timber), domestic and irrigation water and income (Luoga et al., 2004;Njana et al. 2013;Andrew et al. 2023). ...
Understanding of species composition of village land forest reserves and their driving factors informs adequate development of effective restoration strategies and sustainable forest management of miombo woodlands. This study assessed the effects of human disturbance as well as environmental variables on woody plant species composition using 24 square plots of 10 x 10 m in a recently declared village land forest reserve in the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot of Tanzania. Ordination analysis technique canonical correspondence analysis was used to identify important vegetation gradients and significant factors that explain the spatial variation in species composition of woody plants. Results showed that, 779 individual woody plants were recorded, of which 379 were seedlings (48.6%), 102 saplings (13.1%) and 298 adults (38.3%). The three most dominant plant species were Brachystegia spiciformis (42.2%), Diplorhynchus condylocarpon (9%) and B. boehmii (8.7%), while the least were Multidentia crassa and Diospyros squarrosa with each species having less than 1% overall abundance. Pterocarpus angolensis, a highly protected and near-threatened tree species, was also recorded but with only very few individuals. Canopy cover and soil pH were the two most important variables explaining the spatial variation in species composition of woody plants. These results emphasise that village forests are important for preserving native and threatened tree species, and improved management should discourage all practices that change natural conditions of canopy cover and soil pH to safeguard the remaining village forests, biodiversity and rural livelihoods.
... Thirdly, NTFP consumption needs to be understood within the broader livelihood context of poor households. Their use for subsistence purposes usually complements a range of other land-based and off-farm livelihood sources, typically contributing around 20-30% of total household income (Njana et al., 2013;Angelsen et al., 2014;Ragie et al., 2020), but frequently exceeding that (e.g. Babulo et al., 2008;Hussain et al., 2019). ...
Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are used by billions of rural and urban people globally. Income shares from NTFPs are generally highest among poor communities and households, and consequently, their use has at times been described as a poverty trap. However, there are only a handful of works that have directly examined the existence of poverty traps in relation to NTFPs, and none concluded that poverty traps existed in their specific contexts. Consequently, in this paper, we (i) examined the basis for the argument that NTFP use and reliance does engender poverty traps, and (ii) present a reasoned case as to why the use of and reliance on NTFPs is unlikely to result in poverty traps in most contexts. We end with a call for more comprehensive research into the contexts which might, or do, result in poverty traps emanating from reliance on NTFPs, and until such are forthcoming, some circumspection in linking of the two.
... Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) is one of the strategies that aims to sustainably manage forest resources while improving the economic and environmental aspects as well as the livelihoods of local communities [1]. CBFM has led to the establishment of Village land forest reserves (VLFRs) which are also recognized as an important resource base for social and economic development and environmental conservation for many rural communities [2][3][4]. Since forests are important sources of timber and nontimber forest products, the majority of the rural communities depend on forests for their livelihoods [5][6][7]. Through the extraction of various forest products, communities adjacent to VLFRs improve their livelihoods [8][9][10]. ...
... In fact, local communities are wary of NGOs, they report to be more interested in obtaining short-term results to secure funds from external donors and to legitimize their position as "spokespersons" for the local community [84]. On the other hand, the weaknesses of inherent to the government and the multiplicity of taxes weighing on the income of poor farmers [85], would favor a negative connotation on provincial public services in the mindset of the surrounding community of miombo woodlands. Overall, our results stress the poor participation of local communities in forest management due to the strong centralization of power by provincial public services and NGOs, low consultation, and non-inclusiveness of actors, as per the results of many studies conducted in Central Africa [29,86,87], in other regions of the DRC [78,88] and in the miombo ecoregion [10,27,79]. ...
The misappropriation of sustainable forest programs by local communities and the under-utilization of their knowledge are major impediments to the mitigation of deforestation. Within this context, participation has become a principle used in almost all interventions. It is important to evaluate the practices in this area to ensure better involvement of local communities. This survey examined the perception and participation of local communities in the management of miombo woodlands, based on semi-structured questionnaire surveys involving 945 households in 5 villages in the Lubumbashi rural area. The results reveal that local communities perceive soil fertility loss and deforestation as major environmental challenges in their area. This perception remains largely influenced by their socio-demographic factors such as respondents’ age, seniority in the villages, and level of education. To mitigate deforestation, the rare actions of provincial public services and non-governmental organizations are focused on the sustainable exploitation of miombo woodlands through the development of simple management plans, reforestation, and forest control. These activities are sparse and poorly inclusive of scientific findings and the priorities of local communities. These justify poor community participation, particularly in the actions of provincial public services. For a better appropriation of sustainable forest management plans and to reinforce miombo woodlands’ resilience to anthropogenic pressures, based on these findings, we recommend a concerted and inclusive approach to forest planning.
... The ecosystem supports unique and rich flora dominated by tree species in the family Leguminosae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae, with genera of Brachystegia, Julbernardia, and Isoberlinia (Mgumia, 2017). Miombo woodlands support millions of rural and urban dwellers, with the majority of them relying on miombo wood, fuelwood, traditional medicines, food and charcoal as a source of energy (Mgumia et al. 2017, Njana et al. 2013, Dewees et al. 2010, Frost, 1996. Majority of the neighboring communities contribute to the problems of overexploitation when extracting potential resources from Miombo woodlands, through conversion of woodlands to farmland, seasonal forest fires, and livestock grazing (Campbell et al. 2007, Fors 2002, Campbell 1996. ...
Pericopsis angolensis species survival is
reported to be low in nurseries. Given the
high dormancy tendency of Legume family,
it is speculated that, pre-sowing treatment of
Perocopsis angolensis seeds may result in
improved germinability. Different attempts
of breaking the dormancy to enhance
germination have been done. However, the
difference in environmental conditions - soil
pH, temperature, and water availability -
which parental plants experienced during
their growth and seed maturation, have an
impact on seed germination patterns. This
study assessed the effects of pretreatments
(soaking in cold and boiling water at
different time intervals) on the germination
of Pericopsis angolensis seeds collected in
Tabora, Tanzania. Analysis of Variance
(ANOVA) was done to show differences in
seed germination parameters under different
pretreatments. Results show that, there was
significant (P<0.001) difference in
germination parameters between the control
and pretreated seeds except for the Mean
Germination Time (P>0.05). The highest
Germination Value, Germination Percent
and Germination Capacity were found under
control. The findings prove that pretreating
Pericopsis angolensis seeds by soaking in
cold and hot water have no additional effect
on germination. Thus, the study suggests that
the restoration of the forests using Pericopsis angolensis species can be achieved even
without seed pretreatments.
... Cattle herding is part of the local's traditional lifestyle, done mainly on a small scale. The region is the home of the miombo woodlands, which contribute to household income for the majority of the locals (Njana et al. 2013). The region's climate is tropical savannah with two distinct seasons, the wet season from November to April and the dry season from May to October. ...
Ethnobotany Research and Applications 25:30 (2023)-http://dx. Abstract Background: Globally, erectile dysfunction (ED) is a public health concern that upsets men's psychosocial well
