Research article
Urban agriculturalists keeping mainly cross-bred dairy cattle in four different density areas
in the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania were investigated as to whether they had information
about the damaging effects of their animals on the environment. They responded
to questions related to ®ve issues of animal activity that damaged the urban environment.
The ®ndings revealed that, on average, all four socioeconomic groups possessed information
about the damaging effects which their animals caused. Moreover, the people of
the highest and quasi-medium socioeconomic status, who in turn kept the most cattle,
were the most aware. Most agriculturalists keeping cattle, therefore, lived with the contradiction
that they recognized the damaging effects of the animals. Using a conceptual
model, several reasons are given as to why people persist in keeping the cattle. These
reasons reside at four levels: government, ministry, city council and the individuals who
keep cattle. After examining the reasons for keeping dairy cattle in the city, the author
proposes changes at all four levels to reduce the serious urban environmental damage.
International Development Research
Centre, Ottawa, Canada