Land resource

Land resource

Land is very important to the well-being of the nation and human life. Land carries:

1. natural resources.
2. man-made resources.

Land keeps

1. minerals
2. forests
3. livestock
4. wildlife
5. other organisms.

Barriers to utilizing land resources

These obstacles are described in more detail below:

1. Inadequate knowledge and understanding of sustainable land use: Sustainable land use is the act of preserving the size and fertility of the land for the benefit of the present and future generations. Some Tanzanian communities are not aware of sustainable land management. This leads them to misuse the land and ultimately degrade it. People engage in activities such as agriculture and unplanned construction along river banks, dams, lakes and the ocean shore. Good examples are the agricultural and pastoral activities in the Usangu wetland (Ihefu) in Mbarali District. Other examples are the agricultural activities in the Kilombero basin, which is one of the sources of the Rufiiji river. These activities destroy water sources, cause soil erosion, and destroy natural vegetation.
2. Shortage of funds: A large portion of land is unsurveyed because of the shortage of funds. Statistics show that, in 2018, about 75 percent of urban residents had no legal documents supporting their ownership of land. Accordingly, such residents could not use their pieces of land as collateral for loans that could have been used for various economic activities. In addition, unsurveyed lands result in unplanned settlements. For example, in some areas, industries and infrastructure for social services (such as health centres, schools, churches, and mosques) are located in residential areas. This is likely to cause chaos in the community. In addition, most activities taking place in restricted areas, such as along the river banks, ponds, lakes, and the sea, cause land degradation. The shortage of funds leads to delays in compensating the citizens whose land is taken for development projects. This situation delays the implementation of development plans and the intended projects.
3. Shortage of trained staff and equipment: Public and private organizations are not sufficiently staffed with well trained technical personel, and there are limited equipment to effectively manage and develop the land sector. This leads to unsustainable land-use practices. Sustainable land use focuses on the wise use of land for the present and future generations.
4. Increased human and livestock population: Some regions in Tanzania experience high human and livestock population increase, which is out of proportion with the available surveyed land. Examples of such regions are Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Mwanza, and Kilimanjaro.
5. Little understanding of policies, laws, rules and regulations on land use management: This results in unsustainable land-use practices such as cultivation and livestock keeping in prohibited areas. Other unsustainable land use practices include deforestation and extraction of sand and stones in prohibited areas. These practices lead to the destruction of natural vegetation, soil erosion, and destruction of water sources as well as of river banks.

How to overcome barriers to sustainable use of land resources

The following are ways to overcome barriers to the sustainable use of land resources:

1. Develop and implement land-use policies and laws: The government should develop and implement policies and laws by involving all ministries responsible for land use. These ministries include the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries. Other ministries are the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Minerals, Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Transport and Communications. This policy will identify key issues that must be implemented by each ministry so that the land resource is used for sustainable development. In addition, all responsible ministries should have active follow up units on the laws and policies in order to identify obstacles in the implementation of such laws and policies.
2. Providing knowledge about land conservation and management: People should be educated on sustainable land management and conservation. Lack of such knowledge is harmful to the community and the nation in general. Inadequate knowledge about sustainable land use may cause environmental destruction. Such knowledge should be provided to all groups of people in the community. These include children, youth, women, and men. The intention is to promote sustainable land use practices for sustainable development.
3. Raising awareness of sustainable land use: Raising public awareness of sustainable land use is important. This awareness should be provided to the public as well as to primary and secondary school learners. It is expected that those learners will apply such knowledge to the surrounding community. In addition, the government and other stakeholders should establish and broadcast land management programs on radio and television to educate its people.
4. Train and recruit adequate technical professionals in the land sector: It is important to train and hire adequate land technicians and professionals in the land sector to address the current problem of human resources.
5. Establishing programs at district level: Another way of overcoming barriers to land use is to establish programs on land use management at the local government authorities in order to plan and survey land. These programs will speed up land surveying in order to keep pace with the increasing human and livestock population.

How to Conserve Land Resources

Land is a vital resource that must be conserved to ensure the well-being of both humans and other living organisms. When land is degraded, it threatens ecosystems and livelihoods. The following methods can be used to conserve land resources:

Tree Planting

1. Planting and maintaining trees is one of the most effective ways to conserve land.
2. Bare land is highly prone to soil erosion, so trees should be planted in such areas and well maintained.
3. Trees help to hold the soil together, reduce wind erosion, and retain moisture in the ground.

Sustainable Forest Harvesting

1. The harvesting of forest products should be done responsibly to prevent deforestation and land degradation.
2. After cutting down trees, new trees should be planted to ensure continuous tree cover.
3. Forest burning should be avoided as it destroys land and soil fertility.

Using Sustainable Farming Practices

Unsustainable agricultural methods lead to land degradation. Farmers should adopt sustainable farming techniques such as:

1. Terracing – Helps to prevent soil erosion on steep slopes.
2. Crop rotation – Maintains soil fertility and prevents nutrient depletion.
3. Mulching – Covering soil with grass and sticks to retain moisture and prevent erosion.
4. Planting leguminous crops (e.g., beans, green grams, green peas, pigeon peas, cowpeas) – These crops help to fertilize the soil by fixing nitrogen.
5. Mixing crops with deep and shallow root systems – This improves soil structure and nutrient absorption.

Good Livestock Husbandry

1. Overgrazing leads to land degradation, soil erosion, and even landslides.
2. Proper livestock management involves:
   • Keeping fewer animals per unit area to prevent overgrazing.
   • Dividing pastureland into paddocks and using rotational grazing.
   • Allowing pasture to regenerate before animals return to a grazing area.

Trees planted on an open space