Ng’ombe

Cow.

No road journey in and around Masasi is complete without pausing to let a herd of cows or goats cross.

On a more serious note, the dynamics between people, livestock and wildlife are very interesting in this very southern part of Tanzania, and they are transforming rapidly. Goats have long been a mainstay but herds of cattle are a relatively recent phenomenon as pastoralists have expanded from other regions of the country where herding cattle is more of a traditional cultural and livelihood activity. Often the cattle are owned by influential city bigwigs looking for new space for grazing for their assets. The changes are leading to some serious conflicts between farming communities and the newcomers, with the pastoralists often forcibly pushed out in operations by the government. However, they have to be allowed to be somewhere. The world over, the last ones to arrive are vilified when there needs to be compromise over resource access.

We are advocating for more dialogue and conflict resolution to meet the multiple needs of all groups. It’s also critical to ensure that everything happens under an umbrella of sustainability as rapid degradation of forests in this region as the landscape changes will compromise everyone’s ability to benefit from the natural resources.