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2. Conceptual Understanding

2.1 Sustainable Development

The statement below from the World Conservation Strategy (IUCN/WWF/UNEP, 1980) appears to be the first actual attempt to defining “sustainable development”:

“For development to be sustainable, it must take account of social and ecological factors, as well as economic ones; of the living and non-living resource base; and of the long-term as well as the short-term advantages or disadvantages of alternative action”

However, the World Conservation strategy was frequently criticised for being concerned mainly with ecological sustainability rather than sustainable development per se. The most universally quoted definition is the one produced in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), also common by the name “the Brundtland Commission”.

“Economic and social development that meets the needs of the current generation without undermining the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

In the field, stakeholders found it equally difficult to define the concept of sustainable development as was the case with the strategies for sustainable development. Some stakeholders defined sustainable development as “agriculture, health or education”. A few defined sustainable development as that type of development which involves both men and women and which takes into account the relationship between environment and poverty and utilizes natural resources wisely and sustainably. In Mbozi and Rungwe Districts, for example, the utilization of bio-gas was cited as one of the sustainable projects in the rural areas. Through sensitization, the utilization of bio-gas is gaining popularity. This is because it has reduced greatly the women’s workload and provided room for regeneration of the forests.

2.2 Key factors to sustainable development

The following five points were identified by stakeholders as key to sustainable development.

These five factors were considered by stakeholders central to sustainable development.

2.3 Indicators for Sustainable Development

On the question of important indicators for sustainable development, the stakeholders from the three districts in Mbeya and one in Arusha, and the respective regional headquarters gave somehow different responses. Variations of opinions on indicators for sustainable development based on the field interviews are summarized in table 1 and 2 below.

Table 1: Indicators for Sustainable Development in Mbeya Region

Out of the 27 indicators, 6 (22.2%) indicators (Nr. 1,2,3,7,13 and 20) were identified by two groups, the rest by a single group. There was no indicator for sustainable development which was identified by all the four groups.

The stakeholders from Arumeru district and Arusha Regional Secretariat also differed in respect of identifying indicators for sustainable development. The differences in identifying indicators for sustainable development is presented in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Indicators for Sustainable Development in Arusha Region, 2001

Based on the table above, out of 15 indicators 3 (20%) indicators (Nr. 2, 8, and 9) were identified by at least two groups. The rest were identified by a single group only. The only indicator which appeared to feature in the four groups, that is two in Mbeya and two in Arusha Region is the “increase in income”. This appears as number 1 in table 1 and number 8 in table 2.

2.4 Strategies for Sustainable Development

A strategy for sustainable development comprises “a coordinated set of participatory and continuously improving processes of analysis, debate, capacity strengthening, planning, innovation and investment, which seeks to balance economic, social and environmental objectives of society”.

This was another concepts, stakeholders found it difficulty to define. Nevertheless, there were those who viewed strategies for sustainable development as those strategies which have been developed by the people themselves and which attempt to answer key elements of sustainable development in the society.

Judging from the answers provided by the respondents, sustainable strategies can be summarized as “strategies which promote activities and programmes which benefit both the present and future generations”. The following were given by stakeholders as examples of strategies for sustainable development in Mbeya and Arusha Regions.

(a) Mbeya Region

• Protection of sources of water to ensure continuity in using it from the wells and the taps

• By-laws on the protection and conservation of the forests.

• Rehabilitation of Lake Tope and voluntary tree planting around the Lake.

• Sensitization on the importance of safe fishing methods.

• Contribution towards building schools and provision of desks for school children

• Knowledge on modern farming methods leading to increased production and productivity

• Rain-water harvesting

(b) Arusha Region

• Protection of water sources in order to ensure constant availability of water in the canals and water wells

• To sensitize the community to construct fish ponds and better ways of harvesting in order to improve nutrition and increase incomes

• Education on land conservation through building contours and planting trees.

• Agricultural project on traditional irrigation

• Land conservation project

• Oloitushula – HPI Project. This is a cattle project which puts emphasis on few animals whose milk yield is high. The project sensitizes the community to reduce the livestock herd for the purpose of improving the environment.

• Construction of improved houses

• Construction of energy saving stoves which use less firewood (Oloitushula and Ng’iresi)

• Expansion of primary and secondary schools