See also:
» 12.03.2010 - Tanzania, Zambia "too corrupt to trade ivory"
» 17.02.2010 - Tanzania signs loan agreement with Japan
» 22.12.2009 - Kenya to counter Tanzania's Ivory sales proposal
» 30.10.2009 - Last Burundian refugees repatriated
» 26.08.2009 - Lake Natron faces renewed threat from soda-ash mining
» 05.08.2009 - Former border agent sentenced on Tanzanian Leopard Tortoises case
» 14.05.2009 - Tanzanian newspaper faces closure from harsh court decision
» 11.05.2009 - Tanzanian artists join in the theme art work for Europe week











China wholesale online through DHgate.com


Houlihan's coupons


Finn autentiske matoppskrifter fra hele verden på Verdensmat.no:
Gazpacho Børek Kartoffelsalat Taboulé Gulasj Albóndigas Cevapi Rougaille Japrak sarma Zwiebelbrot Klopse Giouvetsi Paella Pljeskavica Pica pau Pulpo a la gallega Flammkuchen Langosj Tapenade Chatsjapuri Pasulj Lassi Kartoffelpuffer Tortilla Raznjici Knödel Lentejas Bœuf bourguignon Korianderchutney Brenneslesuppe Proia Sæbsi kavurma Sardinske calamares


Autentiske matoppskrifter fra hele verden finner du på Verdensmat.no:
Réunion Portugal Aserbajdsjan Serbia Tyskland Seychellene Bosnia Spania Libanon Belgia India Kroatia Hellas Italia Ungarn Komorene Georgia Mauritius Østerrike Romania Frankrike


Tanzania
Economy - Development | Politics | Environment - Nature | Travel - Leisure | Society

Natron community vows to protect the lake

afrol News, 26 October - Villagers around Tanzania’s Lake Natron have vowed to protect the lake and its treasure of Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor from industrial development, pointing out that their own future depends on the sustainable use of the lake.

The Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST), has put forward an alternative to the environmentally destructive soda ash extraction plant proposed for the lake, calling instead for its unmatched tourism potential to be developed, and for the people of Lake Natron to be enabled to benefit from the income generated.

Three-quarters of the world’s Lesser Flamingo population lives in East Africa, and Lake Natron is by far their most important breeding site. In 2007, the Indian-based multinational company, Lake Natron Resources Ltd., proposed to build a major soda ash extraction plant to exploit the very alkaline water of the lake.

Breeding flamingos are very sensitive to disturbance, and quickly abandon their breeding effort. The proposed soda ash plant could, therefore, jeopardise Lesser Flamingo breeding in East Africa. The Lake Natron flamingos are one of the highlights of East Africa’s wildlife tourism industry, which contributes 12-16 percent of East Africa’s Gross Domestic Product.

Tata appears to have withdrawn its interest following a successful appeal against an inadequate Environmental Impact Assessment by the Lake Natron Consultative Group, a coalition of community and environmental groups including BirdLife Partners.

But earlier this year BirdLife learned that the Tanzanian government had published invitations to tender for soda extraction equipment, and plans an extension of the rail network to link Lake Natron to the port of Tanga. The government subsequently denied being responsible for the invitations.

Speaking at a meeting organised by WCST at Ngare Sero village, a Maasai elder, Lasoi Ole Nareshoi, said: “God gave us this resource for use by ourselves, our children and children’s children. We will protect it from any industrial exploitation that may chase away the flamingos and damage the environment. “No one can take the Lake Natron away from us,” he added.

Speaking at the same meeting, the Chairman of Ngare Sero Village, Christopher Ndurway, recalled how in January 2008 a community delegation from Lake Natron rejected the soda ash plant at a public hearing organised by the National Environment Management Council in Dar es Salaam.

“We said ‘No’ in Dar es Salaam in 2008 and that stand remains. We stand to gain more by conserving this lake and its resources and using it sustainably for many years to come. A soda ash factory is of no use to us,” Mr Ndurway said.

Paul Nnyiti, WCST’s Forest Governance Project Coordinator, said the time had come for stakeholders and the government to come to the assistance of the Lake Natron community so that they can benefit from tourism.

“Lake Natron is now known the world over. We invite the government and development partners to join us in opening opportunities to benefit local communities by developing the Lake’s immense tourism potential, which is currently under-utilised,” said Mr Nnyiti.

Ken Mwathe of the BirdLife Africa Partnership Secretariat, who is the Coordinator of the Lake Natron Consultative Group, said that although the soda ash mining plans have been put on hold, stakeholders remain worried that the plans have not been abandoned. “It is time everyone accepted the need to shelve these plans once and for all,” he said, adding, “The future of the local communities lies in exploiting Lake Natron’s natural beauty and not the soda ash. We all need to move on”.


- Create an e-mail alert for Tanzania news
- Create an e-mail alert for Economy - Development news
- Create an e-mail alert for Politics news
- Create an e-mail alert for Environment - Nature news
- Create an e-mail alert for Travel - Leisure news
- Create an e-mail alert for Society news


 
    Printable version


On the Afrol News front page now

Rwanda
Rwanda succeeds including citizens in formal financial sector

afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.

Famine warning: "South Sudan is imploding"

afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
Guinea
Panic in West Africa after Ebola outbreak in Guinea

afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia tightens its already strict anti-gay laws

afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia plans Africa's biggest dam

afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.



front page | news | countries | archive | currencies | news alerts login | about afrol News | contact | advertise | español 

©  afrol News. Reproducing or buying afrol News' articles.

   You can contact us at mail@afrol.com