Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019
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Date of Graduation
Spring 2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Advisor(s)
Joshua M. Linder
Jennifer E. Coffman
Chris R. Colocousis
Abstract
Industrial agriculture and protected areas for biodiversity conservation are two major drivers of land use policy in the African tropics, with consequences for both biodiversity and rural human populations. In Tanzania, conservation and development have led to the marginalization of pastoralists, including and especially rural Maasai. I examine how local perceptions of land use and livelihoods are influenced by recent and historical expansion of protected areas and large-scale industrial crop plantations in Longido, northern Tanzania. Using the framework of political ecology, I situate the emergence of industrial agriculture, especially that of palm oil, and protected areas in the African tropics within the historical context of international power struggles over access to and control over natural resources. Through ethnographic interviews, ERAMAT© game play, and focus group discussions, I find that shifting gender dynamics, increased sedentarization, and the lack of opportunities to participate in and receive benefits from conservation activities have resulted in local participants favoring industrial agriculture over conservation, though land and water scarcity remain among their top concerns. This paper encourages the integration of local knowledges into land use planning to improve environmental, social, and economic outcomes in the region.
Recommended Citation
Palkovitz, Rachel E., "Global gains, local costs? evaluating the nexus of industrial agriculture, conservation science, and rural livelihoods in the African tropics" (2016). Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019. 179.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/179
