Modeling endogenous development in rural societies of Tanzania: The case of the Matengo

Abstract

Efforts to bring about sustainable rural development have not resulted in much success. Using the Matengo of Mbinga District as a case study, various forms of data were collected using a combination of techniques and approaches. These data pertained to the management and conservation of the natural resource base, technological and institutional changes. A STELLA II computer software program was used to analyze the development process of the Matengo people given their land carrying capacity, population, land use at family level, developmental process at village level, and dynamics of regional development, i.e. in the whole Matengo area. The results show that the Matengo people display elements of both stability and mobility. The ngolo farming system has been a key element to the stability of the Matengo in the highlands. The conservation element underlying the ntambo system of natural resource management has greatly been affected by the collapse of the sengu institution. Based on modeling results various development strategies appropriate to each agro-ecological zone in the District are proposed, including the promotion of intensive agriculture based on ngolo farming system and appropriate ntambo management system