THE CONCEPTION OF COMMUNITY IN COMMUNITY-BASED WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN MARA RIVER BASIN: CASE OF TIGITHE SUB-CATCHMENT, TANZANIA (pp. 98-111)
ABSTRACT
This paper employs qualitative research methodology as both an approach and data collection tools. It uses semi-structured interview sessions to 26 respondents and 8 observation cases to examine community-based water resource management approach that came into existence 2010/2011 in the Lower and Upper Tigithe Sub-catchment. The paper brings into plays “common property” natural resources and resource governance theory to gauge the effectiveness of the currently championed Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) framed as Water User Associations/Groups (WUAs/Gs) in the water sector, Tanzania. The argument in here is that; WUAs/Gs are strange top-down imposed and have limitations to effectively engage the community in a sustainable water resources management. It imposes strategies and techniques that un-match the complexity, compositions, evolution and heterogeneity of community over time and space. This makes WUAs/Gs unpopular in the sub-catchment creating missing links that triggers detrimental human actions including excessive water resource use by powerful actors, deforestation, fire burning, overgrazing, and mining along the river, pollution, washing, bathing, cultivation and brick making. These malpractices have resulted in the rapid decline of water and severe drought creating more socio-economic and environmental shortfalls. This paper recommends repealing WUAs/Gs framework with fundamental government services and conservation delivery model.