Biomass Fuels Preferable, Limit Land Degradation
Loss of big tree cover in most landscape of Tanzania is a striking feature. As a result youth in many regions that are highly degraded (for example in Mara, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Singida and some parts of Kigoma, Arusha, Manyara and Tabora) think Tanzania is composed mainly of degraded grassland eco-system.
However, data from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism indicate that the area of forests and woodlands in Tanzania mainland is 48.1 million hectares (ha), but they are not easily seen in the field if they exist at the magnitude reported.
Through historical visual observation, people can tell about loss of forests and trees within their village or district. Based on visual observations many people confess that over the past twenty years their areas have lost most of the indigenous forests and trees.
As from 1970 onwards various research reports indicated that Tanzania was experiencing high land degradation with annual deforestation rate of 400,000 to 500,000 (Ha). Unfortunately most of the research recommendations to solve the problem have not been implemented but rather documented.
Wagner Cassimiro 'Aranha'