Ulanga District Council is looking
for wetland friendly investments in support for communities in their area to
make less dependent on natural resources from the wetlands.
Ulanga District Commissioner Francis Miti said it was high time the communities in his district started income generating activities through natural resources by using customary land certificates issued to them.
He was briefing the Belgian Ambassador in Tanzania, Koenraad Adam on the Kilmer and Lower Rufiji Wetlands Ecosystem Management Project (KILORWEMP).
The project, implemented in three districts of Ulanga, Kilombero and Rufiji, is being funded by the government of the Kingdom of Belgium through the Belgian Technical Cooperation Tanzania (BTC), a Belgian Development Agency.
He said majority of people in the project area are poor with high level dependency on natural resource base as a source of income for their day-to-day livelihood.
“Encroachment on good agriculture land and pastures for livestock in the protected areas are becoming predominant. That is why we support them in efforts to get legal customary land certificate they can use to boost their economic prospects, he noted.
To date the DC office has issued a warning to people who have invaded the wetlands to leave the area by tomorrow or face legal action.
“We are highly concerned with environmental degradation in catchment area for proposed Igota Ketaketa , Kilosa, Mpempo Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) where some members of the communities have encroached.” he noted.
“All invaders were directed to report and register to their villages of origin or apply to register to any village within the district,” said Miti.
Supporting the DC, the Chairperson of ILUMA, a community based natural resources management association in wildlife, Shaban Meza said they would support the community to develop joint land use plan for the management of wildlife resources.
“Community members from 14 villages in Ulanga and Kilombero districts agreed to set aside for the establishment of wildlife management areas.
“In collaboration with KILORWEMP project, ILUMA will implement various developmental activities including supervising of hunting licenses and routine patrol of the WMA,” said Meza.
On his part, the Belgian Ambassador said: “I came here to observe the management of natural resources as well as people’s intentions of the people that use and manage these beautiful lands.”
The envoy said Belgium has been supporting the management of natural resources in the district and in neighbouring Kilombero and Rufiji for a number of years.
“We funded two earlier projects and now the KILORWEMP project, which is under implementation. One may ask: what does Belgium have to do with the Kilombero Valley?
“We agreed to support these activities as part of our overall support to the government and Tanzania people via our bilateral aid,” said the ambassador.
“Kilombero Valley, its land, its water its people play an exceptionally important role for this region and for the country as a whole.”
Ulanga District Commissioner Francis Miti said it was high time the communities in his district started income generating activities through natural resources by using customary land certificates issued to them.
He was briefing the Belgian Ambassador in Tanzania, Koenraad Adam on the Kilmer and Lower Rufiji Wetlands Ecosystem Management Project (KILORWEMP).
The project, implemented in three districts of Ulanga, Kilombero and Rufiji, is being funded by the government of the Kingdom of Belgium through the Belgian Technical Cooperation Tanzania (BTC), a Belgian Development Agency.
He said majority of people in the project area are poor with high level dependency on natural resource base as a source of income for their day-to-day livelihood.
“Encroachment on good agriculture land and pastures for livestock in the protected areas are becoming predominant. That is why we support them in efforts to get legal customary land certificate they can use to boost their economic prospects, he noted.
To date the DC office has issued a warning to people who have invaded the wetlands to leave the area by tomorrow or face legal action.
“We are highly concerned with environmental degradation in catchment area for proposed Igota Ketaketa , Kilosa, Mpempo Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) where some members of the communities have encroached.” he noted.
“All invaders were directed to report and register to their villages of origin or apply to register to any village within the district,” said Miti.
Supporting the DC, the Chairperson of ILUMA, a community based natural resources management association in wildlife, Shaban Meza said they would support the community to develop joint land use plan for the management of wildlife resources.
“Community members from 14 villages in Ulanga and Kilombero districts agreed to set aside for the establishment of wildlife management areas.
“In collaboration with KILORWEMP project, ILUMA will implement various developmental activities including supervising of hunting licenses and routine patrol of the WMA,” said Meza.
On his part, the Belgian Ambassador said: “I came here to observe the management of natural resources as well as people’s intentions of the people that use and manage these beautiful lands.”
The envoy said Belgium has been supporting the management of natural resources in the district and in neighbouring Kilombero and Rufiji for a number of years.
“We funded two earlier projects and now the KILORWEMP project, which is under implementation. One may ask: what does Belgium have to do with the Kilombero Valley?
“We agreed to support these activities as part of our overall support to the government and Tanzania people via our bilateral aid,” said the ambassador.
“Kilombero Valley, its land, its water its people play an exceptionally important role for this region and for the country as a whole.”
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