DSI’s Research Topics under Natural Resource Management Theme
DSI’s research agenda under natural resources incorporate thematic topical areas that are important in establishing sustainable agriculture and natural resource management systems. Some of these important themes have been the subject of in-depth studies.
i. Sustainable Agriculture: Farmers are ‘stewards’ of our natural resources. They do not only utilise soil, water and ecosystems to produce food and fibre but also manage, preserve and improve them for future generations. In this role they face a challenge to balance use of natural resources for economic production while maintaining the value and productivity of land, water and ecological systems (ecosystems) and resources in the long term, both on and off-farm. DSI focuses on research that will provide a holistic solution to natural resources management for sustainable agriculture and hence sustainable development via:
• Research in managing natural resources and climate change in agriculture
• Provision of education and training opportunities for rural development specialists with bachelor, master and doctoral degrees
• Advisory services to farmers and various stakeholders in addressing and adapting to climate change and its impacts on agriculture
• Advising the government from an agriculture perspective on natural resources management for sustainable agriculture.
ii. Policies and Practices for Natural Resource Management: It requires proper understanding of policies and practices for solving problems and issues associated with managing the natural resources to achieve both environmentally and socially sustainable development. Natural resource management issues have been at the centre of policy debates as well as environmental justice movements. Development requires not only better global economic conditions but also a cleaner environment, with sustainable use of natural resources such as land, water, soil, energy and minerals and their security at both the global and national levels including availability, affordability and accessibility to all. Natural resource exploitation and economic activities have played a role in fuelling many violent conflicts. Trans-boundary environmental and economic cooperation, and transparent natural resource management, can be operationalized to support governance processes and also promote peace. DSI’s research agenda on this theme is on key policies and practices related to natural resource management for sustainable development.
iii. Natural Resources and Sustainable Development: Natural resources-nature and scarcity; issues and challenges; concepts of environmental and natural resource economics; issues of market efficiency; equity issues; use of economic instruments; natural resource accounting and valuation; models of resource depletion – exhaustible and renewable resources.
iv. Governance of Natural Resources: Challenges to the governance of trans-boundary resources; Local governance institutions for sustainable natural resource management
v. Natural Resources, Political Economy and Conflict Issues: Resource curse; winners and losers in natural resource development: cases of conflict; measures for internalizing the environmental externalities and other social costs created on account of extraction/use of natural resources
vi. Climate Change and Natural Resources: DSI is committed to a number of priority areas in climate change and natural resources management, such as adaptation to and mitigation of climate change impacts and research aiming at promoting educational initiatives and support mechanisms to increase the capacity of people to be involved in the management of natural resources in a changing climate.
vii. Adaptation to Climate Change: Research activities aiming at increasing the resilience and incomes of livestock producers in areas facing increased pressure on natural resources and changing climate and variability. Research aiming at working with herders to understand how they make decisions to move livestock in order to assist them in managing their herds for better productivity
viii. Climate Change for Agricultural Development: Agriculture is a major economic driver in the Tanzanian Development Agenda, particularly with respect to provision of rural livelihoods, income, food and nutrition sovereignty and poverty and hunger reduction. Thus DSI is committed to conducting researches aimed at improving knowledge and capability among farmers and increase infrastructural capacity to measure climatic parameters and relate them to agricultural production and productivity in the country.
GOAL
The goal is to contribute in establishing sustainable agriculture and natural resource management systems through in-depth studies and training.