Heron Wsega's Farm

Today I visited Heron Wsega's farm.

Heron grew up with a Maasai background. The Maasai are a traditional nomadic group from northern Tanzania and Kenya often recognized by their tradition dress and ties to the Serengeti and other parks. For hundreds of years their way of life, culture and religion have centered around cattle raising. Because cattle need lots of land to graze they have adopted nomadic lifestyles.

However, because of globalization and the opening of markets to the international community land has become privatized and their freedom of mobility is restrained. Much land is being subdivided, sold, zoned and given out while others are made into conservation sites (over 10% of Tanzanian land is reserved as national parks). As a result of these modern changes in land policy, Maasai no longer have the same freedom to roam and be mobile threatening their way of life.

Despite these changes, their culture still holds strongly to raising livestock. I have been told that they would rather let their cattle die than kill them, since it is a sign of accumulated wealth and power. With population growth and the continued need to raise cattle on the decreasing availability of land, the bush is being over-grazed and erosion becomes inevitable. This turns previously good soil dry and uncultivatable, forcing Maasai to burn bushland to make room for pastures and further increasing the demand on pastures that have been sustainable for years.

Often what happens is many Maasai (like other Tanzanians) will migrate to the capital centers (such as Dar Es Salaam) to find work. Because of their lack of education and knowledge in swahili, the Maasai people often take small poor paying jobs. For example many Maasai become gatekeepers like the one at my guesthouse, and others become ‘guardians’ of certain lands like the beaches here in Dar. Others who hold onto in the nomadic life find it increasingly difficult to cope with modernization and the needs for cash which can be used for modern medicine and school fees.

One of the partners that CRWRC works with helps the Maasai explore other areas of livelihood. By offering training in financial management linking new famers with experts or other farmers in the area, they are able to acquire new skills and learn farming techniques.

Heron Wsega is the chairman of his financial group and has become a sort of role model for others wanting to adopt farming techniques. On his land Heron has installed sanitary latrines, is raising chickens, growing cassava, sugar cane, oranges, mangos, passionfruit, jackfruit, rice, maize, while at the same time still possessing a few cattle.

Today, he was excited to show me around his farm, introduce me to his family, and show me into his home. Because he is able to raise and sell crops, he is also able to make some money and send his children to school (cover uniform and supply fees), buy medicine and make savings along with the rest of his finance group. Savings can be used to buy more chickens, and make investments in their childrens' futures through schooling and medicine.

Showing me around his farm and how to pound maize