Geographical Livelihood Patterns Of Agropastoral Community In Protected Areas: The Case Of Tarangire Manyara Ecosystem

ABSTRACT 

The study examined geographical livelihood patterns of agro-pastoral community in Tarangire Manyara Ecosystem. Specific objectives of the study included to examine spatial and temporal patterns of agro-pastoral livelihoods patterns, to examine spatial and temporal patterns of human wildlife interaction and examined spatial and temporal benefits of WMA on livelihoods in the study area. Three villages that are Mwada, Olasiti and Vilima vitatu were involved as adjacent, intermediate and distant from the national park respectively. Data were collected through social survey, structured interview, focus group discussion and field observation. Both, qualitative and quantitative data obtained from the field were processed by SPSS, Chi- square and cross-tabulations were used to analyze the data. Research findings in the study area reveal that households performing different types of livelihood patterns such as crop cultivation, livestock keeping, off farm activities i.e. charcoals burning, and informal business based on spatial and temporal aspects. Also the results show that there is an interaction of human wildlife which resulted to crop damage and animal raid. Furthermore findings show that there is no direct benefits from WMA which improving the livelihood of communities around the protected area. Chi-square test shows that there is statistical significant between distance of the community from the park and benefits gained where by the null hypotheses were accepted since x 2 =17.759 and p=0.01. Therefore the study concluded that people, particularly the household from the study area they depending on livestock keeping and crop production for their livelihood income and few were engaged into other livelihoods patterns. The study recommends that communities should be promoted to engage themselves into different livelihood patterns.