livestock herders managing and supervising animal watering (Allan Bubelwa)

Livestock keepers initiative for continued dry season animal drinking water supply (Tanzania, United Republic of)

Emigilile ya abatungi b’ente oyokueshela ente

Description

Livestock keepers groups and local government collaboration for management of livestock watering points.

Aims / objectives: The main aim of this approach is to improve management of water resources through strengthening collaboration between land owners and livestock keepers for efficient livestock production/management and increased incomes. This approach ensures livestock watering point accessibility during dry seasons. Objective is to reach a compromise between livestock keepers and land owners on terms of conditions for access and use of watering points. As results livestock keepers and land owner can improve their planning activities and minimize conflict between them.

Methods: A self-help livestock keepers group is normally formed. It establishes regular and efficient cooperation among the livestock keepers and negotiations with land owners on water access issues. They make financial contributions to support the established self-help group. Through these contributions construction and maintenance of the ponds and troughs (the livestock watering system) is assured. Construction and maintenance is also done through voluntary work.
This traditional system was developed by elders and spread through learning by doing from the old to the young generation. In passing over knowledge from the elderly to the youths, experience in livestock and water resources management systems is gained.
The approach is also characterized by reverence to the existing village by-laws reinforced by the village government as well as existing customary laws to prevent degradation and pollution of water sources. Extension officers provide technical backstopping on recommended animal health practices that include deworming, routine spraying and vaccination against diseases.

Stages of implementation: Implementation takes place in three stages
1) Livestock keeper group formation: The group size is determined by the number of livestock. A single trough can accommodate not more than 150 cattle which determine the number of livestock keepers to form a group. The group has its informal organizational system with a nominated leader.
2) Contributions and voluntary works: Each livestock keeper makes a payment of about 20 dollars to the land owner as annual user fee. Maintenance is the responsibility of all livestock keepers.
3) Management: Include use of by-laws and provision of advisory services

Role of stakeholders: Land owner: He has the key role of ensuring that the area is used in a sustainable manner. Group members pay land rent to him for area utilization and management.
Livestock keepers: These are key users of the area, voluntarily participate in construction and maintenance of water troughs, pay land rent, manage and control watering of their animals.
Village and Ward administration and elders: Ensuring that village by-laws and customary laws guiding use of fragile ecosystems are adhered to.
Ward and village extension officers: Provide technical advisory to livestock keepers.
District administration and extension staff: Facilitating and enabling community understanding of policy, acts and laws guiding use of fragile ecosystems so that they can make informed management decision.

Other important information: This approach plays significant role in preventing conflict between domestic water users and livestock keepers especially during the dry season.

Location

Location: MISSENYI, TANZANIA, Tanzania, United Republic of

Geo-reference of selected sites
  • 31.67194, -1.10194

Initiation date: n.a.

Year of termination: n.a.

Type of Approach
Livestock keepers repairing the water troughs (Allan Bubelwa (Box 38 Kyaka, Missenyi, Kagera, United Rep of Tanzania))
livestock herders managing and supervising animal watering. (Allan Bubelwa (Box 38 Kyaka, Missenyi, Kagera, Tanzania))

Approach aims and enabling environment

Main aims / objectives of the approach
The Approach focused mainly on SLM with other activities (Construction, managment and utilization)

Minimizing of land dagradation and better water availability to contribute to livelihood improvement.


The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: 1. There was no livestock keepers organization to comprise over use of water resource during the dry season.
2. Water use conflict between livestock keepers and domestic water users
3. Weak administration of bylaws.
Conditions enabling the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
Conditions hindering the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
  • Social/ cultural/ religious norms and values: Traditionally livestock keepers keep large herds for prestige. Treatment through the SLM Approach: Livestock keeper with large herds are advised to reduce number of animals by selling extra animals and use funds for intensifying management and maximizing productivity.
  • Availability/ access to financial resources and services: Livestock keepers are not aware of the services provided by financial institutions and are ignorant of the basic bookkeeping skills. Treatment through the SLM Approach: Sensitized livestock keepers on utilization of financial institutions and provide training in the basic bookkeeping skills.
  • Institutional setting: Livestock keepers informally organized but not legally recognized; the groups are not registered and have no written constitution. Treatment through the SLM Approach: Livestock keeper advised to strengthen their groups/organization through registration by relevant authorities and establish a written group constitution.
  • Legal framework (land tenure, land and water use rights): Ignorance of livestock keepers on the Act, Laws and Rules governing the use of fragile ecosystems. Treatment through the SLM Approach: Extension workers enabling and facilitating community understanding of policy and acts guiding use of fragile ecosystems.
  • Knowledge about SLM, access to technical support: Low knowledge on recommended livestock rearing practises and water borne diseases. Treatment through the SLM Approach: Training livestock keepers on recommended livestock rearing practices, prevention and controll of water borne diseases as well as water hygine and sanitation.
  • Workload, availability of manpower: High work load needed in filling of the water troughs Treatment through the SLM Approach: Livestock keepers advised to use water pumping machines (simple and manually operated machines).

Participation and roles of stakeholders involved

Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles
What stakeholders / implementing bodies were involved in the Approach? Specify stakeholders Describe roles of stakeholders
local land users/ local communities Key implementer and user of the SLM approach, the land owner and the livestock keepers Traditionally grazing stocks (cattle, sheep and goats) are owned and reared by men and therefore the approach mainly involves men. The roles area largely men specific.The approach also targeted low income livestock owners (casual cattle herds man).
SLM specialists/ agricultural advisers District, ward and village extension officers
local government Provision of technical advisory services, policy and act interpretation and reinforcement of village bylaws.
national government (planners, decision-makers) Village and Ward elected and employed representatives.
Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach
none
passive
external support
interactive
self-mobilization
initiation/ motivation
x
Livestock keepers /elders: Inheritance and transference of the approach to youth.
planning
x
Livestock keepers /elders: Informal planning and improvement through cycles of action and reflection.
implementation
x
Livestock keepers individuals and groups, village leaders and agricultural advisers: use of the approach, law enforcement and technical advisory services and interpretation of act, law and guidelines protecting fragile ecosystems.
monitoring/ evaluation
x
Livestock keepers individuals and groups, village leaders and agricultural advisers and SLM specialists: manage effective use of the technology, ensure adherence of Acts, Rules and Regulation and SLM documentation for dissemination and sharing.
Research
x
Livestock keepers individuals and groups and agricultural advisers and SLM specialists: identification and documentation of researchable issues.
Flow chart

Livestock keepers initiative for continued dry season animal drinking water supply.

Author: Allan Bubelwa (Box 38 Kyaka, Missenyi, Kagera, United Tanzania)
Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology

Decisions were taken by

  • land users alone (self-initiative)
  • mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists
  • all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach
  • mainly SLM specialists, following consultation with land users
  • SLM specialists alone
  • politicians/ leaders

Decisions were made based on

  • evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
  • research findings
  • personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

Technical support, capacity building, and knowledge management

The following activities or services have been part of the approach
Capacity building/ training
Training was provided to the following stakeholders
  • land users
  • field staff/ advisers
  • village and ward leaders
Form of training
  • on-the-job
  • farmer-to-farmer
  • demonstration areas
  • public meetings
  • courses
  • seminar and workshops.
Subjects covered

Act and Laws guiding the use of fragile ecosystems, prevention of water borne diseases, recommended livestock keeping methods and water management.

Advisory service
Advisory service was provided
  • on land users' fields
  • at permanent centres
Name of method used for advisory service: Farmer field school ; Key elements: learning by doing on the job and in the field (Number of knowledge sharing activities: on the job training, field practice), adult learning – livestock self-help groups , livestock management. , indegenous and technical knowledge balanced and combined in a complementary manner.; Technical advisory services largely involved building on and improving the successful experience resulted from the use of indigenous knowledge.

Advisory service is quite adequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities; The increase number of extension workers from 1 to 2 and introduction of TAMP project (trans boundary agro-ecosystem management project) in the village will speed up implementation of conservation activities in the village.
Monitoring and evaluation
bio-physical aspects were ad hoc monitored by government, land users through observations; indicators: extent of area eroded bio-physical aspects were ad hoc monitored by government, land users through measurements; indicators: Ponds/troughs and maintenance requirements technical aspects were ad hoc monitored by land users through observations; indicators: number of livestock keeper trained technical aspects were ad hoc monitored by land users through measurements; indicators: number of conflicts between land owners and livestock keepers socio-cultural aspects were ad hoc monitored by land users through observations; indicators: number of water conflict emerged and number resolved socio-cultural aspects were ad hoc monitored by government, land users through measurements; indicators: livestock production and productivity economic / production aspects were regular monitored by government through observations; indicators: increase in milk and meat productivity economic / production aspects were regular monitored by government, land users through measurements; indicators: livestock keepers using the technology no. of land users involved aspects were regular monitored by government, land users through observations; indicators: number of livestock keepers using the technology no. of land users involved aspects were regular monitored by government, land users through measurements; indicators: adherence to water protective bylaws management of Approach aspects were regular monitored by government through observations; indicators: % number of village bylaws used and adhered to management of Approach aspects were regular monitored by government through measurements; indicators: None There were few changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: Implementation of group roles and adherence to by-laws e.g. protection of natural vegetation. There were few changes in the Technology as a result of monitoring and evaluation: decrease in destruction of natural vegetation and reduction of eutrophication at the water source.
Research
Research treated the following topics
  • sociology
  • economics / marketing
  • ecology
  • technology
  • adaptive SLM trials

Adaptive trials through SLM demos by TAMP, ARI MARUKU and community. Farmers select the best bets technologies to apply on their own fields.

Research was carried out on-farm

Financing and external material support

Annual budget in USD for the SLM component
  • < 2,000
  • 2,000-10,000
  • 10,000-100,000
  • 100,000-1,000,000
  • > 1,000,000
Precise annual budget: n.a.
Approach costs were met by the following donors: local government (district, county, municipality, village etc) (animal related extesion services, policy and law enforcement.): 20.0%; local community / land user(s) (voluntary contribution by livestock keeper groups and land owner ): 80.0%
The following services or incentives have been provided to land users
  • Financial/ material support provided to land users
  • Subsidies for specific inputs
  • Credit
  • Other incentives or instruments

Impact analysis and concluding statements

Impacts of the Approach
No
Yes, little
Yes, moderately
Yes, greatly
Did the Approach help land users to implement and maintain SLM Technologies?

This approach plays significant role in reducing conflict between domestic water users, increased availability of water and conservation of water resources.

x
Did the Approach empower socially and economically disadvantaged groups?

The approach enables low income-cattle herd man to earn income.

x
Did other land users / projects adopt the Approach?

other livestock group adopted the approach (in dry season).

x
Main motivation of land users to implement SLM
Sustainability of Approach activities
Can the land users sustain what hat been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

Conclusions and lessons learnt

Strengths: land user's view
  • Is a mechanism for assurance of water availability for animal watering in the dry season. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: continue with good collaboration with the land owner and livestock keeper solidarity.)
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
  • The training of extension officers, elders etc covered many aspects of sustainable livestock production and natural water resources protection (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Activities presented during the training should be put into practice and spread among other livestock keepers )
  • Involvement of the district administration, wards, elders in the approaches implementation (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: insist on active involvement )
  • Strong commitment of livestock keepers to improve livestock production and their livelihood (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Awareness raising )
  • Reduced conflict between water for domestic use and for watering animals (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: strengthen use of the approach and bylaws guiding it )
  • Reduced cost and largely relies on self mobilization and voluntarism of the livestock keepers. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Group management and organizational development to strengthen cohesiveness.)
  • Is dynamic, flexible and accommodate outside advisory and technical support and therefore opens opportunities for future improvement. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Needs assessment and provision of appropriate advisory and technical support. )
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
  • low know how broadern know how
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
  • The approach is largely informal in terms of livestock keepers organization. There is no written constitution and the groups are not registration. improvement in terms of formulation of group constitution, opening of bank account and group registration.
  • Narrow focus largely relies solely on indigenous knowledge base . broaden horizon of understanding by combining with technical knowledge base.
  • Lack of promotion materials to involve other livestock keepers increase number of promotion materials
  • Rural poverty not reduced significantly more activities that can lead to reduction of rural poverty required

References

Compiler
  • ALLAN BUBELWA
Editors
Reviewer
  • Fabian Ottiger
Date of documentation: April 25, 2013
Last update: Julie 6, 2017
Resource persons
Full description in the WOCAT database
Linked SLM data
Documentation was faciliated by
Institution Project
Key references
  • Kagera TAMP project (pdfFinal Report 2013): http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/oed/docs/GCPRAF424GFF_2013_ER.pdf
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International