Natural resources database for Kilombero Valley: first steps taken

2008-05-29 10:10:25
By Special Correspondent


A stakeholders` workshop held in Mahenge, Morogoro Region, recently sought to develop a natural resources database to assist in the management of the Kilombero Valley Ramsar Site.

Participants included district staff of Ulanga and Kilombero districts and representatives of environmental organisations and safari and hunting companies that are active in the valley zone.

The specific aim of the workshop was to establish the availability of natural resources data and assess specific information to be included in a general Kilombero Valley Natural Resource Database to be developed by the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute. A Special Correspondent reports:


Once operational, the database allows a close monitoring of the ecological system of the Valley so that any change in its character can be detected early and preventive measures can be taken.

Finalisation of the database is foreseen for October this year. Its development is part and parcel of one of the projects of the Belgian-Tanzanian bilateral co-operation, aiming to develop and implement an Integrated Management Plan of Kilombero Valley Flood Plain Ramsar Site.

This project will help reducing land use conflicts and improve the living standards of communities that depend on the wetlands for their socio-economic well-being, while at the same time ensuring sustainable management, conservation and utilisation of the wetland's natural resources.

31 villages in the Valley are direct beneficiaries of the project. The project is implemented mainly by the Kilombero and Ulanga districts with co-ordination and advice provided by a Project Manager from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and a National Technical Advisor from BTC, hereby assisting the Tanzanian government in fulfilling its obligations as a signatory of the Ramsar Convention.

In August 2000, Tanzania ratified the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

This convention stipulates wise use of wetland resources, maintaining the ecological character of the site while contributing to people`s livelihoods.

In April 2002, the Kilombero Valley Flood Plain Ramsar Site was designated and added to the Ramsar Convention`s list of wetlands of international importance, especially because the valley contains almost 75% of the world`s population of the wetland dependant Puku Antelope.

This antelope is now only found in 18 locations in Africa and its survival, as a species, is dependent on the Kilombero Valley population.

The development and implementation of an integrated management plan for a Ramsar Site form part of the obligations for signatories to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

The workshop held in Mahenge was the first step towards development of a Natural Resources database for the Kilombero Valley. It was an opportunity for stakeholders to sit together and exchange ideas and information.

It also provided an excellent occasion to remind the district councils and local organisations about the obligations under the Ramsar Convention, and to fight some wrong assumptions about the establishment of a Ramsar Site.

``The designation of the Kilombero Valley as a Ramsar Site does not mean that people will be chased from their houses.

We will be working together with the local communities to ensure a sustainable use of the wetland resources``, the project manager reassured a representative from a local civil organisation who asked what would be done for people who are forced to leave their houses.

``A Ramsar site does not bring new laws, but can include Forest Reserves, Game Reserve and Open Areas where certain laws are already valid.``

The next meeting is foreseen in three months, to follow up the development of the database and verify if additional data are needed.

Meanwhile, district staff of Ulanga and Kilombero are being trained by TAWIRI in operating such database, ensuring a correct use of the new database for monitoring of the Kilombero Valley Ramsar Site.

SOURCE: Guardian