Browsing by Author "Urassa, Justin Kalisti"

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Causes and management of land conflicts in Tanzania: a case of farmers versus pastoralists
(Uongozi Journal of Management and Development Dy namics, 2016) Massawe, Goodluck Dastan; Urassa, Justin Kalisti
Land conflicts are on the increase in many parts of Tanzania. Though the same existed even in the planned economy era 1961 to 1985, there has been an escalation of thesame since Tanzania opted for the.free market economy in the mid-1980s. While land corif!.icts are experienced by all walk<; of life and people engaged in different economic activities, those between farmers and pastoralists have been more dread.fit! leading to loss of life and property in many instances. The aim of this paper is twofold: firstly, to examine the factors that have contributed to the causes and persistence of .farmer-pastoralist conflicts in Tanzania; and secondly, to examine the strategies that have been applied in managing .farmer-pastoralist conflicts. The paper contains a review that is organised into three .fundamental sections. After introduction, Section Two discusses the literature that analyses the conflict by drawing on the social, historical and economic causes. In Section Three, the papei· introduces some of the key framework<; used within the peace and conflict literature, particularly in reference to the dffering notions of conflict management, conflict resolution and conflict transformation that could be applied in solving or managing conflicts between .farmers and pastoralists in Tanzania for the good of both groups. The paper makes two conclusions: firstl y, the farmer-pastoralist conflict tends to be best explained through an interpretive lens that sees many processes impacting on the highlighted issue. Whilefarmer-pastoralist corifl.i cts have been produced by social, historical, economic and discursive factors; the former three factors have dominated most of the analysis within the literature . Secondly, there is no single solution for managing the conflicts. However, to effectively manage the conflicts communities need to adopt a multidimensional approach that takes into account a range of the contributing factors .
Forms and drivers of conflicts between farmers and pastoralists in Kilosa and Kiteto Districts, Tanzania
(2018-12) Saruni, Parit Ole; Urassa, Justin Kalisti; Kajembe, G. C
Farmer-pastoralist conflicts represent a significant challenge for rural communities and the Tanzanian government. The study objectives were to (i) determine existing forms of conflicts and (ii) identify drivers underlying resource use conflicts. The manuscript is based on a study that adopted a cross-sectional research design whereby data were collected from 373 randomly selected respondents from Kilosa and Kiteto districts, Tanzania, while primary data were collected through interviews, observations and focus group discussions, secondary data were gathered from government reports and newspapers. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out for quantitative data. Factor analysis was used to extract component factors on drivers and forms of conflicts, whereas content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Generally, study results show that there were three main forms of conflict namely farmers versus pastoralists over village boundaries; farmers versus pastoralists over livestock routes and farmers versus farmers over the land. In addition, four main drivers underlying resource use conflicts were identified namely crop damage by livestock; inefficiency of government officials in taking action to diffuse conflicts; excessively large herds of cattle and corruption. It is therefore recommended that pastoralists should be provided with essential services such as water in order to minimize movement of their livestock herds from their designated villages to other areas in search of water. This would, in the long run, minimise crop damage which has been a major source of conflict. In addition, proper land use planning is recommended to minimize resource use conflicts.
Rural household livelihoods, crop production and well being after a period of trade reforms: a case study of Rukwa, Tanzania
(2010-09) Urassa, Justin Kalisti
Production of staples occupies an important part in Sub-Saharan Africa’s crop production, and maize is its single most important food staple. This thesis mainly examines the role of maize in farmers' livelihoods and wellbeing in Tanzania, in the context of a long period of reforms that have affected both the maize market, agriculture more widely. It does so by exploring the role of maize in household's on and off-farm diversification, the determinants of crop productivity, and the relationship between diversification, commercialisation and' well-being. A number of specific issues are explored including the importance of factors such as farm size and education, access to key inputs such as seeds, fertilizers and agricultural extension services. The thesis uses data collected from three districts of Rukwa, one of Tanzania’s major maize producing regions, and some secondary agricultural data from official sources. The research found that households with more land were generally more diversified (both on-farm and off-farm) than those with less land, and they experienced higher levels of well-being as measured by a range of concepts of ■well-being, but that maize continues to play an important role households' livelihoods and well-being. The research also revealed low levels of use of important agricultural inputs such as modem fertilizers and extension services, which may explain the low yields observed in the region. Education emerged as an important factor in raising yields, increasing commercialisation and also well-being, suggesting that non agriculture policies may also be important for improving productivity and welfare of farmers. Despite the importance of crop production to their' well-being, households face several constraints; these include access to fertilizers, improved seeds and other chemical inputs necessary for higher production, and extension services. These findings have important policy implications as many rural households continue to rely on agriculture, especially production of staples. Therefore, these results could help the central and local governments to formulate strategies geared towards improving rural well-being