Socio-economic influences of Pangani river basin on community’s livelihoods in Korogwe, Tanga Region, Tanzania

Abstract

Abstract. Komba E, Lusambo LP. 2020. Socio-economic influences of Pangani river basin on community’s livelihoods in Korogwe, Tanga Region, Tanzania. Bonorowo Wetlands 10: 67-77. River basin`s resources are vital to basic livelihoods improvement and economic growth. Although river basins played a significant role in Tanzania`s economic growth, little information is known on the socio-economic effects of the river basins in the urban areas. To address the information gap between urban and rural areas, this study was conducted to: identify socio-economic activities undertaken by the urban communities along the Pangani river basin, analyze gross profit from identified socio-economic activities and analyze factors influencing urban community dependency on a river basin.
Purposive sampling was used to select three wards among seven wards crossed by the river basin. A cross-sectional research design involving 90 randomly selected and interviewed respondents using a household questionnaire. Key informants’ information was collected, and three focus group discussions comprising 6-10 people were carried out using a developed checklist. Data were analyzed using a statistical package for social science (SPSS), gross margin analysis, and multiple regression model. The findings revealed that 33.3% of the respondents conducted gardening activities, 26.7% crop cultivation, 26.7% brick making, 8.9% sand mining, and 4.4% car wash activity. The overall gross profit was TZS 5,263,736.00 per household/year, higher than that recorded in previous research conducted in rural areas. Soil fertility, land availability, water availability, access to market, conducive climatic condition, and vicinity to new construction area were significant factors influencing the urban community to depend on a river basin. The result is the high utilization of river basin resources in urban than in rural areas. The study recommends strengthening community participation and awareness in conserving sustainable river resources and further studying the economic efficiency of socio-economic activities.