The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Environment Division of the United Republic of Tanzania’s Vice President’s Office, facilitated two workshops in the regions of Kigoma and Katavi from 21 to 25 June 2021.

The main objectives of the two workshops were to review and develop environmental and livestock by-laws in the Kigoma and Katavi regions. The workshops are part of the project titled “Migration, Environment and Climate Change in Tanzania: Examining the Causes and Consequences of Climate Change-Induced Internal Migration”, financed by the IOM Development Fund. The project aims to contribute to strengthening the capacity of the United Republic of Tanzania on the migration, environment and climate change nexus in order to develop evidence-based policies on climate change-induced internal migration.

Workshop participants included government officers and representatives from local environmental committees, environment livestock officers and legal officers from eight districts in Kigoma and five districts in Katavi, respectively.

Empowering the local government authorities and local environmental committees through the workshops contributes to addressing the conflicts between host communities and livestock migrants over natural resources, environmental degradation and pollution, water and forest resources management.

During the workshop, participants noted challenges hindering the implementation of existing environmental and livestock by-laws including limited financial and human resources, the lack of awareness among community members on existing by-laws, and the absence of land use plans in many villages. Participants acknowledged that migration of livestock is an important driver of environmental degradation.

The overall outcomes of the workshops include:

1. Improved understanding of the participants on the existing Environment Management Act and steps to be taken on the development of the environmental and livestock by-laws;
2. Suggested areas/sections of the existing environmental and livestock by-laws to be reviewed;
3. Proposed new environmental and livestock by-laws to be presented to the township and district council authorities of the Kigoma and Katavi regions; and
4. Shared experience and best practices among participants to address the Migration, Environmental and Climate Change associated challenges.

Various participants articulated their plans to utilize the knowledge attained from the workshop to advise the local government authorities and local environmental committees to develop new environmental and livestock by-laws for their districts. Ultimately, the aim is to revise the existing environmental and livestock by-laws and propose new by-laws to be presented to the district and township authorities for further review and approval.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Reuben Mbugi at rmbugi@iom.int or tel.: +255 718 983 910