Modifying Taungya System to Promote Soil and Water Conservation

Session: The presentation will discuss recent changes being implemented in the TFS Meru Plantation Forest through the ‘Taungya’ management of land. Farmers contract to cultivate land which is planted to forestry species for annual crops until the tree canopy closes, but until recently, did not concern themselves with soil erosion. The presentation describes how new measures are being introduced to reduce the soil and water runoff onto village farmers downstream.

* See Session Video Here

Biographical information: Dr. Canisius Kayombo is an instructor at the Forestry Training Institute, Olmotonyi in the Division of Forestry and Beekeeping, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. He possesses a PhD in Botany from the University of Dar Es Salaam, MSc in Natural Resources Management (University of Dodoma), BSc. In Environmental Planning and Management (Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP) in Dodoma and an Ordinary Diploma in Forestry and Beekeeping (FTI-Olmotonyi, Arusha-Tanzania). He has participated in botanic surveys throughout Tanzania, having taken plant identification techniques at the National Museum of Nairobi-Kenya, Botanical Training Programme at TPRI, and plant identification techniques & research methods at Missouri Botanical Garden-USA. He is also a researcher in the fields of plant ecology, plant species diversity, biodiversity assessment, project development ecological impact assessment, quantification of standing tree biomass and aboveground carbon stock, assessment of tourism opportunities, determination of bee fodder plants (plants foraged by stinging honey bees). Robert Faida is the manager of the TFS Plantation Forest of Mt. Meru.