The Challenges of Using Indigenous and Local Knowledges in the Management of the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Wetland Resources

Abstract

The use of knowledges of localities is increasingly being upheld in addressing challenges of the management of wetland resources. Indigenous knowledges have become important today following the insufficiency of foreign knowledge imposed in societies from the modern natural resource management initiatives. Informed by the study which was conducted in the Malagarasi-Muyowozi wetlands in north-western Tanzania, this paper presents findings on the challenges of using indigenous and local knowledges in the management of wetland resources. Through a case study design, a mixed methods approach was used—involving in-depth interviews and survey—to collect data from 1148 local community members from five villages in the study area. The findings revealed that indigenous and local knowledges are used in the management of wetlands in the area, but some of their uses are limited because they are accorded less status when compared with western-based knowledge. The paper concludes that indigenous and local knowledges are useful and thus needed, but their effective use requires measures to address the challenges found in their use. Hence, awareness creation efforts need to be made to strengthen indigenous and local knowledge institutions so as to enhance effective use and sharing of the knowledges to ensure, among others, sustainable management of natural resources.