Water and Pasture Availability on Livestock Routes Under a Changing Climate: A Case of Ilemela and Magu Districts in Tanzania

Abstract

The beef cattle production system practiced in the Lake Victoria Basin ismainly extensive, which involves cattle grazing on natural pastures. Thissystem is characterized by overgrazing, low livestock production and soildegradation. Under the effects of global climate change, these pastoralmanagement challenges are expected to increase. As the impacts of climatechange to beef cattle production over the Lake Victoria Basin is unknown,this study used participatory mapping method and focus group discussions toassess spatial changes in livestock routes in relation to water and pastureavailability in Ilemela and Magu districts of Mwanza region, Tanzania. GIStechnology was used for the formalization of spatial layers. It was revealedthat there were many changes in livestock routes such that some havebecome roads, some have been lost, and others narrowed. These changeswere due to increase of settlements and cultivated areas, and morespecifically a general decline of water sources and grazing land. This impliesthat appropriate strategies such as a land use planning, stock routingsmodification, education on effective cattle farming and intervention byrainwater harvesting should be designed so as to adapt to climate changeeffects, and improve livestock production in Ilemela and Magu districts.