Feature
How would Rufiji wetland look after three decades from 2024 like?
By, Abdusamadu Ninga
The River Rufiji wetland is amongst beautiful wetlands in Tanzania located in coastal region. The Rufiji River was formed by the confluence of the kilombero and Luwegu Rivers.
The Rufiji River is approximated 600 kilometres (370 mi) long, with its source in southwestern Tanzania and its mouth on the Indian Ocean (opposite Mafia Island).
According to the official website of world wetlands day depicts that, over 35% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared between 1970 and 2015, mainly due to crop cultivation and dam construction with severe negative consequences on biodiversity, hydrology and ecosystem processes.
To mark this, the East African news blog revealed that, the world international wetlands day on 26 July 2021, a non-profit body launched a programme to restore at least 2,000 hectares of mangroves at the Rufiji delta, in line with the government’s pledge 5.2 million hectares of forest across the country over the next decade.
“It is estimated that about 7,000 hectares of mangroves were lost due to ‘tremendous’ changes vegetation cover within the Rufiji delta between 1991 and 2015. And 2016 the government imposed a ban on mangrove harvesting inside the delta” wrote Bob Karashani on The East African news blog.
Wetlands international
It is a clear fact that,human activities has been destroying the mangrove wetland in Rufiji, including rice farming, illegally logged for fuel and timber as well as destroyed by upstream activities like salt production, human settlement and cattle grazing , Thus affecting the mangrove wetlands to a large extent.
Furthermore, East African news bog described that, the Tanzanian government through the Tanzanian forest services Agency will patner with wetlands international on a Tsh 7.34 bilion ($.16 million ) management plan to restore the delta.The wetlands international plan outlines harvesting and projects to replant up to16,000 hectares of mangroves in the 53,355 hectare delta , over a five year period.
Rufiji wetlands: the blessed land
The Rufiji wetland supports a diverse ecosystem with various types of vegetation, such as; mangrove forest, magnificent, and grasses, adapted to the wet conditions around the Rufiji river; Rufiji Swamps serve as important habitats for a wide range of wildlife including birds (like waders and terns), hippopotamus, crocodiles, and monkeys as well as insects; They also play a crucial role in flood control, water purification, and carbon storage.
Hence, it is clear that on the next decades, the Rufiji wetland will lost resulting to ripple effects due to; drainage for agriculture (studies , wetland international, 2018 estimates that about “7,004 hectares of mangroves have been lost as a result of rice farming between 1991 and 2015”), pollution, improperly planned activities, climate change, invasive species as well as overharvesting of mangrove trees.
What will happen on biodiversity if Rufiji wetlands lost?
Impact on water resources: The wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining water quality and regulating water flow in the surrounding area. Their loss could result in increased pollution, reduced water availability, and higher vulnerability to droughts and floods.
Disruption of ecosystem services: The wetlands provide vital ecosystem services such as water purification, flood regulation, and carbon sequestration. With its loss, these services would be compromised, leading to water quality deterioration, increased flooding, and higher carbon emissions.
The dependence of local communities and wildlife on Rufiji swamp ecosystems
Both local communities and wildlife benefits their dependence on Rufiji swamp ecosystems. As people gets food, water and habitats same as wildlife. Their dependence on Rufiji swamp balances the ecosystems because each depends from another in order to survive. Therefore, swamps plays great role on ecosystem as it provides habitats, food, flood control, carbon storage, recreation and tourism and water purification.
Importance of understanding and addressing these threats for effective conservation of Rufiji wetlands
Rufiji people should be aware of threats to their wetlands. Simply because, through understanding it will help to address those threats in order to ensure conservation of Rufiji wetlands and preventing ripple effects like loss of biodiversity, flooding, disruption of ecosystems, loss of ecotourism activities. Furthermore, by ensuring people are aware of it, every 29 June international day of tropics is launched to raise awareness about the unique challenges tropical nations face from climate change, deforestation and urbanization .
Successful Rufiji swamps conservation initiatives/ efforts
There are many successful efforts and initiatives for conserving Rufiji swamps. This is due to its vitality, those efforts including; international day of tropics (it falls on 29 June, every year to raise awareness about the unique challenges tropical nations face from climate change, deforestation and urbanization) and A new project initiative by the institute of marine science (IMS) of Tanzania in partnership with the Tanzanian forest service, Wetlands International, the Kibiti District Council and the Pakaya Culture and Environment Group and the community in general. All these ensures the protection of Rufiji swamps to avoid ripple effects on the coming decades.
SAVE WETLANDS, SAVE THE ECOSYSTEM!
It is our responsibility to conserve Rufiji wetlands for ensuring sustainable developments and getting rid of loss of biodiversity. Not only, for Rufiji wetlands only but also in other areas, people should be awake to conserve our wetlands to saves the ecosystems.
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