COMMON POOL RESOURCES

Are the types of goods consisting of natural or human-made resources system example
irrigational systems or fishing grounds, whose size or characteristics makes it costly but not
impossible to exclude potential beneficiaries from obtaining benefits from its use. (Wikipedia)

Common pool resources face problems of congestion or overuse because they are subtract able, a
common pool resources usually consist of a core resources such as water or forest.

Agriculture as one of the common pool resources in Tanzania contribute almost half of the
national GDP as it is being practiced by almost 80 percent of the total population. (I. shivji 2002)

Type of common pool resources in Tanzania;

Forest resources;

Tanzania has a total area of forest cover of about 33.5 hectares approximately 34 percent of the
total land area, where almost 12.5 million ha are reserved. (I. shivji 2002).

According to I. Shivji the production forest area is almost 24 million ha while some 10 million
ha are protected as water catchment areas. This forest resources in Tanzania are expoited for both
subsistence and market.

The forest resources are used for different uses such as building materials, herbal medicines, wild
fruits, bee’s products etc. but mostly important forest is used as a bioenergy for rural household.

Wildlife resources;

Tanzania has a total area of grasslands and open woodlands in the northeast and northwest of
approximately 28 percent of the total area of the country, almost 25 million ha of this areas are
used for habitation of the wildlife animals.

According to (MNRT (b) op. cit 2-5) state that almost one-fifty (19 percent) of the Tanzania total
surface area is being devoted for wildlife where no human settlement is allowed.

Wildlife are important to the livelihood as they are used for food, Medicinal uses and other
resources. But I Tanzania they are very important as they are used as the tourism attraction
which leads to the increase of the National GDP approximately 10.7 percent of the total national
GDP (WTTC, 2020).
Minerals and marine resources;

Tanzania has been blessed with a tone number of mineral resources found within its land such as
gemstones, gold and diamond. But mostly known as for its unique type of mineral found only in
Tanzania known as Tanzanite.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report of January to March 2020 shows
that Mining sector in Tanzania contribute to 15.3 percent of the total National Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).

In addition to that Tanzania has also been blessed to have many type of marine resources found
in the aquatic area within the whole country where fishing activities take place leading to the
increase of the national by internal marketing and external (exportation) market.

Pastoralism;

Refers to the form of animal husbandry where domestic animals known as livestock are released
onto large vegetated outdoor lands (pastures) for grazing. Such animals include cattle, goats,
sheep etc. (Wikipedia).

According to I.Shivji it is estimated that Tanzania has a total area of 44.2 million ha,
approximately to 50 percent of the land is the grazing lands category although most of this land
cannot be inhabited as it has been designated as protected area.

Cultivation;

Refers to the preparation and use of land for growing plants or crops (oxford dictionary).
Cultivation usually depend on the availability of arable land in order to get a large amount of
crops being produced at a specific area.

According to I. Shivji cop production in Tanzania usually practiced in using hoe-technology and
family labour, and depending mostly In rain since irrigation is not highly developed.

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has estimated 44 million hectors (49.7 percent of the
total area) has been classified as arable land for agricultural practices, whereby only 35 percent
of the arable land area is being used for agricultural production till date.
Management of Common Pool Resources (CPR’S);

The use of many common pool resources, if managed carefully can be extended because the
resources systems forms a negative feedback loop, where the stock variable continually
regenerates the fringe variable as long as the stock variable is not compromised, providing an
optimum amount of consumption.

Challenge facing common pool resources in Tanzania;

 Land conflict between small scale producers and large scale investors
 Encroachment of preserved land such as wildlife areas and forest reserves areas
 Poor Land alienation for different uses
 Natural disaster such as flood destroy a large amount of this common pool resources

Opportunity available for common pool resources;

 Availability of arable land for agricultural practices

 A large amount of open area for grazing activity
 A number of water bodies for fishing activities
 Availability of forest areas for different activities such building materials, herbal
medicines, wild fruits, bee’s products etc.

Policy provision on management of common pool resources;

 Wildlife policy 1998 has a vision of promoting the conservation of biological diversity,
administer, regulate and develop wildlife resources by involving all stakeholders in
wildlife conservation and sustainable utilization.
 National Agricultural policy 2013 has a general objective of developing an efficient,
competitive, and profitable agricultural industry that contribute to the improvement of the
livelihoods of Tanzanians.
 Mining policy 2008 mission is to set policies, strategies and laws; regulating mineral
exploitation, production, trading, value addition and minerals actors for sustainable
development of mineral resources, and integrate with other sectors of the economy.
 National livestock policy 2006 mission is to ensure that livestock resource is developed
and managed sustainably for economic growth and improved human livelihood.
In developing the Singida village land use plan the way to avoid/overcome the challenges stated
above concerning the common pool resources and utilize the opportunities is the use of
participatory approach by involving all stakeholders in generation of different procedures of
utilizing the common pool resources and also abiding to different laws for the preservation of
these common pool resources. In additional is to sensitize Tanzanians who are the users of this
resources on the importance of proper utilization of this resources so as they can be used for the
next generation.