Abstract
This study was undertaken to help highlight the negative impacts of economic activities on wetlands in East Africa with a specific focus on Mara Bay and Masirori wetlands, Tanzania, a region where the local communities still harness wetland resources for economic sustenance. Key economic activities and the negative impacts of the income-generating activities on the wetlands are identified, including the main goods harnessed, level of dependency of the locals to the wetlands, and the level of environmental knowledge of the locals on the wetlands’ ecosystem services. Both qualitative and quantitative tools and techniques viz.: questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, market surveys and spreadsheet analysis were used in this study. The proportion of wetland users involved in papyrus harvesting, food crop cultivation and fishing was 30%, 25% and 24%, respectively while charcoal/firewood and grass for livestock accounted for 12% and 7%, respectively. Significant differences in incomes for charcoal (p < 0.05) across the four villages were recorded but farming, fishing, mat making, herding and fish mongering were non-significant. About 6% of those interviewed had some considerable knowledge on wetland ecosystem services, while the rest (94%) lacked information. Issues identified as having detrimental impacts on the wetlands’ ecosystem services included conversion of sections of the wetlands into farmlands, grazing, charcoal burning, unsustainable fishing, overharvesting of papyrus and brick-making. Farming was found to be a major income-generating activity within the two wetlands. Other important economic activities were charcoal burning, fishing, mat making and fish mongering. The findings from the research are useful for devising appropriate strategies for wetland conservation. Such measures may include assigning wetland ecologists to the village governments, valuation of the wetlands, commissioning of a price and resource regulatory board for the wetland goods, creation of wetlands monitoring program, a fining regime system and a roll-out of mass environmental education in the wetlands regions.
Highlights
Wetlands are natural or artificial ecosystems where water is the main component controlling the environment and its flora and fauna (Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2013)
This study was undertaken to help highlight the negative impacts of economic activities on wetlands in East Africa with a specific focus on Mara Bay and Masirori wetlands, Tanzania, a region where the local communities still harness wetland resources for economic sustenance
The present study argues that, based on the information from the survey and documented impacts, the existence of the two wetlands in the long run is endangered by the presence of markets around the region, and that they soon cease to function properly unless quick interventions are put in place to help mitigate these impacts
Summary
Wetlands are natural or artificial ecosystems where water is the main component controlling the environment and its flora and fauna (Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2013). Hydrological, geochemical and cultural benefits, which are commonly referred to as ecosystem services (Peh et al, 2013; Costanza et al, 1997; Davidson, 2014) They provide a variety of products and services which include: food such as fish and other aquatic animals; fresh water; and fibre and wood fuel. They provide buffer zones and regulate floods and flow regime in landscapes, thereby preventing flooding incidences (Kadykalo & Findlay, 2016) They act as carbon sinks, and help combat climate change (Patton et al, 2015) as well as acting as valuable filters and pathogen removers in drinking water, which helps in maintaining good health (Wu et al, 2016). In Africa, wetlands make up about 16% of the total land (Koohafkan et al, 1998) and virtually support the livelihood of the local communities living around them (Taylor et al, 1995)
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