Gender Division and Utilization of Natural Resources: A Case Study of Mindu-Tulieni and Makombe Villages in Bagamoyo District, Tanzania

Authors

  • Emmanuel Patroba Mhache

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61538/huria.v16i16.2

Abstract

This paper explores special aspects of gender and utilization of natural resources in MinduTulieni and Makombe villages in Bagamoyo District. It farther focuses on gendered decision-making and negotiation over the management of land, forests, livestock and water in Bagamoyo District. In total, 69 heads of households were interviewed and answered the questionnaires in the study villages. Focus group discussions were also conducted in the study villages. Findings have shown that attention to gender differences in property rights can improve natural resources use, environmental sustainability, equity and empowerment of resource users. This study found that policies and approaches are inadequately gendered and particularly omit the gender relationship in management and utilization of natural resources. Although it is difficult to generalize across locality, cultures and resources, it is important to identify peoples’ rights to land, trees (forests) and water. Different methods are used in acquiring land and the way land is transmitted from one user to another.     Roles of men and women in natural resources use, management and conservation are taken on board. Findings have further shown that gender, culture and structure of tribes’ constrains the natural resources management. The results suggest that discrimination basing on resource ownership, distribution and utilization should be eliminated. People should be educated through seminars, radios, televisions and newspapers. Special attention should be paid on treating male and female on rational and equal basis.

Author Biography

Emmanuel Patroba Mhache

The Open University of Tanzania Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Geography Department 

References

Belly, M. (1986). Contemporary Africa: Development, Culture and the State. Bath Press: Avon. Boserup, E. (1989). Woman’s Role in Economic Development. George Allen & Unwin Ltd: London. Brigham, T., Chihongo, A. and Chidumayo, E. (1996). “Trade in Woodland Products from the Miombo Regionâ€, In Campbell, B. (ed.) The Miombo in Transition: Woodlands and Welfare in Africa. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia (pp 137-174). Clark, A. N. (1985). Dictionary of Geography. Human and Physical Geography Terms Explained. London: Longman. Economic Commission for Africa (2004). Land Tenure Systems and their Impacts on Food Security and Sustainable Development in Africa. ECA Print-shop in Addis Ababa. Ellis, A., Blackden, M., Cutura, J., MacCulloch, F. and Seebens, H. (2007). Gender and Economic Growth in Tanzania: Creating Opportunities for Women. The World Bank, Washington, D.C.

FAO. (1989). “Restoring the Balance: Women and Forest Resourcesâ€. In Sally, S. (ed.) 1991: Women and the Environment: A Reader Crisis and Development in the Third World. Earth-scan Limited. London, UK. (pp 67-92). FBD. (2000). Forestry for Poverty Reduction and Economic Growth: National Forest Programme Formulation in Tanzania (Draft). Forestry and Beekeeping Division, Tanzania. Goodland, R. (1993). Environmental Sustainability and the Empowerment of Women. The World Bank, Washington D.C. Haapanen, T. (2011). Rural Food System Change in Tanzania During the PostUjamaa Era: A Case Study from Western Bagamoyo District. Turun Yliopisto, Turku, Finland. Hart, S. L. (1995). A Natural Resource-Based View of the Firm. Academy of Management Review. Vol. 20. No. 4: 986-1014. University of Michigan. Hurskainen, A. (1984). Cattle and Culture. The Structure of a Pastoral Parakuyo Society. Studia Orientalia 56. 275 p. Helsinki. IFAD. (2000). “IFAD’S Gender Strengthening Programme In Eastern and Southern Africa: Field Diagnostic Study, Zambiaâ€. IFAD: Rome. IFAD. (2007). Gender and Water: Securing Water for Improved Rural Livelihoods, The Multiple-Uses System Approach. IFAD: Rome. Kaale, B. K. (2005). Baseline Study on Biomass Conservation in Tanzania, SADC Programme for Biomass Energy Conservation (ProBEC). Tanzania. Kimarya, L, A. (1995). Community Participation in Environmental Management: The Need for Women Participation a Survey of Morogoro Rural District. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts (Demography) in the University of Dar es Salaam. Kulindwa, K., Sosovele, H. and Mgaya, Y. D. (1998). Socio-Economic Root causes of Biodiversity Loss in Tanzania: The case of Mangrove Forests in the Three major Deltas of Rufiji, Ruvu and Wami. University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Earthscan Limited. London Sterling. Madulu, N. F. (2005). Environment, Poverty and Health Linkages in the Wami River Basin: A search for Sustainable Water Resources Management. Physics and Chemistry of the Earch 30, 950-960 Maghimbi, S. and Manda, P. (1997). Poverty and Gender Division of Labour among the Maasai of Simanjiro District. Research Report to REPOA March 1997. March, C., Smyth, I and Mukhopadhyay, M. (1999). A Guide to Gender-Analysis Framework. Oxford: Oxfam Mark, M. and Winniefridah, M. (2010).Gender, Resource Management, and the Rural Landscape in Africa. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa (Volume 12, No.4, 2010). Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, Pennsylvania. ISSN: 1520-5509. Matinda, M. Z. 2010. Maasai Pastoral Women Vulnerability to the impacts of climate change: A case of Namalulu Village, Simanjiro District, Northern Tanzania. ALAP, Arusha, Tanzania. Meinzen-Dick, R., Brown, L. R., Feldstein, H. S. and Quisumbing, A. R. (1997). Gender, Property Rights, and Natural Resources. FCND Discussion Paper No. 29. Food Consumption and Nutrition Division. International Food Policy Research Institute 1200 Seventeenth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. Mhache. E. P. 2004. Impacts of Tree Planting on the Livelihood of Communities in Unguja, Zanzibar. University of Dar es Salaam. Mhache, E. P. (2012). Population Change and its impacts on Forests and Woodlands in Western Bagamoyo, Bagamoyo District, Tanzania. University of Dar es Salaam. Mikkelsen, C. (2005). Indigenous Peoples, Gender, and Natural Resource Management. DIIS Working Paper no 2005/5 IGNARM Network on indigenous peoples, gender and natural resource management c/o WWF Danmark, Ryesgade 3F, 2200 Copenhagen K, Denmark.

Molden, David, ed. (2007). Water for Food, Water for Life: A Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture. London: Earthscan; Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute. Morse, S. and Stocking, M. (1995). People and Environment. London: University College Press. Mpuya, G. J. (1999). Fuel wood problem in rural Tanzania and its impact on gender: the case of Kisarawe District. University of Dar es Salaam Nilsson, P. (1986). Wood, the other Energy Crisis. In: Boesen, J. (ed.) Tanzania Crisis and Struggle for Survival. Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute of African Studies pp. 160-161. Nkonya, (2012). www.wcl.american.edu/hrbrief/17/3nkonya.pdf retreaved on 22/02/2012 Rogers, (1980). “The conservation of the forest resources of eastern Africa: past influences, present practices & future needsâ€. In “Biogeography & ecology of the rain forests of eastern Africa†eds. Lovett & Wasser. Cambridge. Rwelamira J. K. (1999). Effect of socio-economic and gender issues on sustainable resource Management. Land and Agriculture Policy Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. Rothschild, L. J. and Mancinelli, R. L. (2001). Life in Extreme Environments, 409 Nature 1092 (2001). Sitari, T. (1983). Settlement Changes in the Bagamoyo District of Tanzania as a Consequences of Villagization. Fennia 161:1, 1-88. Suslick, S. B. and Machado, I. F. (undated). Non-Renewable Resources. Earth System: History and Natural Variability. Vol. 1. Institute of Geosciences; State University of Campinas/UNICAMP Campinas, Brazil. http://www.eolss.net/SampleChapters/C12/E1-01-02-11.pdf retrieved on 27/02/12 at 13.16 PM. Timberlake, Lloyd and Thomas L. (1990). When the Bough Brecks: Our Children, Our Environment. Earthscan. UN Women. (2001). http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/conceptsandefinitions. htm (Retrieved on 27th February, 2012: 12.32 PM). URT. (2007). Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development Planning, Household Budget Survey of 2007 2.3. United Republic of Tanzania 2007.

Downloads

Published

2014-01-16