Lisette Borchert and Dr. Richard Jackson, Geography
There is an increasing concern over environmental change on Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro (Newmark 1992). For the Chagga, the indigenous people of this region, Mount Kilimanjaro is the source of all life. Primarily, they are dependent on the mountain for water, which is vital for their agricultural production and domestic needs. Historically, land has been passed down from father to son in these tiny African villages. However, as the population in the village increases, the sizes of each plot gets smaller and smaller until the plot becomes unusable. Likewise, as the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park and Forest Reserve (KNPFR) continues to expand, the land for farming in the surrounding villages becomes highly fragmented and subsistence farming is nearly impossible because of land and water access. Still, there are several environmental and social changes affecting the viability of land conservation programs on Kilimanjaro because of its reliance on tourism. Dr. Jeffrey O. Durrant and ten other students observed these conflicting issues facing the Kilimanjaro region during Spring and Summer Semesters of 2002. The design of the project was collaborative, but the observations and data collection in each village were done on an individual basis.
To evaluate land use and water use in Tanzania, on the basis of how conservation was applied in different areas on the mountain, we initially set up three separate and distinct areas down the southeastern slopes of Kilimanjaro. The first village was called Mbahe, and was located just outside the borders of the Kilimanjaro National Park and Forest Reserve (KNPFR). The second was called Marangu (Sembeti and Semanga villages), an area just 5.5 kilometers below Mbahe. The next area was called Chekereni, which was located about 30 kilometers below Marangu but was still connected to the mountain because of cultural and water ties. Two to three students were placed in each area and spent the first month just taking notes on initial geographical observations including how people were using their land specifically and what were the differences in how they applied conservation practices, if any. Each student was responsible to take field notes daily and then type them up on a timely basis in Tanzania. The students were also responsible in getting to know their areas, not just geographically, but also to build relationships with the people in their villages and try and elicit as much information as was possible from the locals about their attitudes and opinions towards the conservation of Mount Kilimanjaro and how life for them has changed. We used individual GPS Units to map out each village, including small shops, and obtained a GPS point at approximately 85% of the houses in each village. We used SPSS to randomly sample 25 of those houses, which, we used for the survey in the second month. Ezra Owen, a graduate student in the Geography Department, also used a highly technical GPS unit to map out the main roads, paths and secondary paths in each area and their connecting infrastructure as well as the delineation of several farm parcels in each village.
Once per week, the entire group would meet together to discuss the research and evaluate progress with the project as a whole. We discussed how each area was different in terms of observations and informal conversations and possible explanations for differences in behavior.
After the first month, the group met together and produced a survey, based on follow-up questions to observations to more fully understand how conservation, population growth, intensified agricultural activity and increased tourism are influencing land and water use and their adaptations to conservation. The survey was semi-structured with some open- and closedended questions so to elicit attitudes, experiences and perceptions. The household survey consisted of initial questions about demographics of the family and basic land use history. Then, for each household member over 18, we completed an individual interview to find out more detailed questions about land use and water use and their attitudes/opinions of the conservation of Mount Kilimanjaro. The interviews were conducted in Swahili via a translator and then translated to English and recorded by a student present in the interview.
One of the main difficulties associated with the field observations occurred because we were white students (mostly female) in all-black African communities and many of the villagers were skeptical of any field notes or informal conversations. Likewise, the most difficult part of the surveying process was to find translators who spoke both English and Swahili well enough to communicate and whether or not they were willing to work every day with the students. However, in each community, we were able to complete at least 25 household surveys and numerous individual interviews, but the data is still being transcribed at this time.
My main task was to write daily field notes of observations in each community. I spent most of my time in the village of Chekereni, a population of about 4,000 people. This village has no electricity or running water but relies heavily on irrigation twenty-four hours a day seven days a week during the rainy season (mid-April to late June) to produce a good crop. Because of the scarcity that is beginning to occur year-round, Chekereni has a water committee, which is responsible for regulating water allotments based on the size of the land and distance from the main channel. Because of population growth in the village itself, one family may only be allotted irrigation once per week, which is not sufficient to produce a good crop. Near the end of the rainy season, there was little or no water in the irrigation channels and the crops themselves were severely dried out and produced a meager harvest. Moreover, the chairman of the village once commented, “The people of Chekereni love this village because they have no where else to go. We try and teach conservation, but because of their low education levels, they do not understand. Chekereni has got so many problems.” Water is a highly sought after commodity in Chekereni, but also in many of the other villages which we studied. There were many people who lived in Mbahe or in Marangu, with access to running water and furrow water for their plots, which still felt deprived of water and additional land. Still, they labor continually and do so cheerfully.
In brief, my experience in Tanzania was indescribable. I never want to forget the generosity of the Chagga people, how they open their homes to strangers and share their meager meals with all in need. I never want to forget how hard the women work and struggle day after day to provide for their families. In particular, they taught me to make the best of what you have. We truly are so blessed.
Reference
- Newmark, W.D. 1992. The Conservation of Mount Kilimanjaro. IUCN: Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.