Participatory Village Land Use Planning to Minimize Conflicts between Crop Growers and Cattle Herders:

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Specific focus was on Kwitete village in Serengeti District in Mara Region, Tanzania, where the District Council initiated a village land use planning process, but never took it to the end. The abandoned villagers managed to use the half done plan to start implementing it and in a number of ways they succeeded not only to minimize conflicts, but also to reap some economic gains. Specifically, the study aimed to document in-detail the participatory process by which planning and plan implementation went through; and to examine the effectiveness of the plan in reducing conflicts between farmers and herders. Goal and Objectives: The overall objective of this study is to explore experiences of villagers’ initiatives in minimizing conflicts between crop growers and herders through participatory village land use planning. Specifically to document in-detail the participatory process by which planning and plan implementation went through; and to examine the effectiveness of the plan in reducing conflicts between farmers and herders. Methodology: The study is an output of a single case strategy on how the villagers went about to manage and implement their village land use plan. On methodological fronts; literature review (files, minutes and letters), transect walks, resource mapping, observation, photographing, Focus Group Discussion, Key Informant interview and household interview for quantifiable data formed the key methods of data collection. Results: The study has revealed that when villagers accept with sincerity to participate in a planning process to solve problems affecting their livelihood, they are likely to carry out the process and use their available resources to ensure success. Village leaders who were in the leadership at the initial planning stage have been more active than those who joined the leadership later. They have been able to mobilize fellow villagers to widen cattle routes, dig a charco dam and construct a cattle dip in accordance with the village land use plan. Widening of the cattle routes and digging a charco dam have helped reduce incidences of conflicts as animals now cannot reach crops easily. Construction of a cattle dip has helped reduce animal diseases. At the centre of success is the leaders’ ability to communicate for financial support from different sources and at the same time mobilize their fellow villagers effectively for joint work. They have employed formal and informal governing tools in the process. Formal tools included use of hamlet (Vitongoji) leadership to take leads in getting labour for construction work. Informal tools include the Kurya “Rika”/”Saiga” groups and “Ritongo” to exercise their traditional means of mobilizing their group members and managing communal works; their ability to impose sanctions on offenders and award respect or any traditional objects.