Land is the basis of human society because it provides food, water, energy, clothing, and shelter. Land resources, however, are finite. Problems of inappropriate land use, population growth, over-exploitation of natural assets and environmental degradation are complex and long–term. These factors are exacerbated by poverty, inequality and social conflict because many people have inadequate access to land or to the benefits from its use. In the face of scarcity of resources and increasing conflicts over land uses, the role of integrated land use planning for sustainable management of natural resources becomes evident.

Conceptual Background

Participatory village LUP entails natural resource management achieved in an integrated manner through full involvement of the villagers and their institutions for the benefit of all stakeholders. The aim of the National Agricultural Policy (1997) is to promote integrated and sustainable use and management of natural resources in order to conserve the environment. CHEMA believes in creating awareness through participation. The tasks which CHEMA has implemented together with the District Council show CHEMA to be a key partner in LUP due in large part to technical know-how. CHEMA is also committed to empowering women by imparting knowledge on their land ownership rights.

Past Performance

The aim of this project has been to bring together the community representatives for each village in order to list, rank, prioritize and analyze land use planning problems and opportunities. Previous phases of this project have involved training representatives from 45 villages at a 95.5% success rate and have been facilitated by Bernhad Kazaula, regional land use planner, Elieskia Mgheni, district forestry officer, and Stephen Kileo.

Development Issues and Land-Use Problems Identified:

These problems and issues lead to lower agricultural productivity and have their roots in many underlying causes, including a limited education level. For instance, some farmers are unaware that continued cultivation on steep land leads to soil erosion. Additionally, poor livestock management such as uncontrolled grazing or perpetual use of the same herding routes can also lead to the creation of gullies and soil erosion. Poorly planned drainage systems along road construction sites have also caused much damage to nearby crops due to flash floods. Generally, it is mistakenly thought that bush fires increase soil fertility, while they instead create barren land. The fact that there is no clearly defined policy on public lands lends itself to the degradation and destruction of such areas. Some of the main bottlenecks that hinder successful achievement of such intervention efforts are primarily linked to inadequacies of funding, transportation, infrastructure & equipment and a qualified extension staff.

Proposed Soil & Water Conservation Measures

The basic objectives of Soil Erosion Hazards Assessment (SEHA) is to extend and promote the community`s skills on sustainable use of soil and water as primary resources for development at a large. CHEMA facilitates an open interaction and cooperation among users, as well as providing a forum for the discussion an dissemination of proper and appropriate soil & water conservation practices among the users. The Programme works in conjunction with other enviornmental organizations on the promulgation of global environmental and conservation policies, strategies and standards. We convene conferences, conduct field studies, produce publications, and distribute policy guidelines that highlight better soil and water conservation  techniques. The following is an outline of our focus:  

Measures to be taken in the forestry sector:

• To address land degradation problems by advancing tree planting.
• Conservation and management of catchment areas & surrounding forests.
• Promotion of agro forestry activities.
• Law enforcement to control illegal logging for charcoal production.

Measures to be taken in the agricultural sector:

• Raise awareness on land tenure rights, especially for women.
• Emphasize the use of contour ridges on slopes.
• Encourage the use of farmyard manure and other practical soil fertility practices.
• Promote early planting with proper, approved seeds. 

Measures to be taken in the livestock sector:

• Support de-stocking campaigns to address land degradation.
• Improvement of livestock auctions.
• To advice the farmers to move their animals from areas of high concentration to those of low concentration.
• Improve bull centers and small-scale dairy projects.

We want to encourage local communities and especially village governments to participate in land use planning and draw maps to indicate areas that need special attention for sustainable use of resources available in the area. Scarce resources should be highlighted with proper allocation of grazing areas, and protection of catchment zones. The empowerment of local communities such that they own and manage their resources is dully stressed.