Interactive governance approach in mariculture activities in Tanzania : a case study at Mlingotini Village, Bagamoyo

Abstract

Coastal resources are overexploited and thus coastal livelihoods provides very little in terms of micro-economy. Seaweed farming activities have been considered as alternative income generating activities in Tanzanian coastal communities. Nonetheless, the sustainability of seaweed industry is dependent on the nature of interactions between the three orders of governance and the governability depends on how well the governing system matches with the system to be governed. Through fitting primary and secondary data obtained from seaweed farmers in Mlingotini village into governance models and theories, this thesis analyzed the interactions and the roles being played by three governance institutional elements: state, market and civil society as mariculture industry as concerned in Tanzania. In order observe the accomplishment of good governance principles, the system to be governed should understand and differentiate between the needs for local community, the accountability of the governing system as well as capacities available to the governing system. Analyzing social impacts of seaweed farming along the coast of Tanzania provide positive and useful insights on the industry but in addition to that, this study also found that the governance system should consider improving the production chain which seems to be necessary for the seaweed industry along the coast. I therefore concluded that, along with launching SDSP in 2005 in Tanzania the governance instruments should be corresponding to the reality such that the concern should not be only to increase seaweed production, but also to consider missing essential instruments for making seaweed business sustainable including trainings on business skills and planning. Including mariculture related courses in academic institution syllabuses such as FAST-UDSM, (just as aquaculture courses) or under biotechnology courses in Botany department- UDSM or in other Fisheries Institutions will be a great achievement to sustain seaweed industry in Tanzania.