Water Sources and Livelihood Choices Among Pastoralist Households in Monduli District, Tanzania

This paper investigates the association between types of water sources for livestock and livelihood choices of pastoralist households in semi-arid areas of Monduli District, Tanzania. Specifically, it aims to examine the influence of the types of water sources for livestock on livelihood diversification of pastoralist households. Using a mixed research methods approach, the data were collected from 367 households through three methods: surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and counts, and inferential statistics, Chi-square tests and correlation, while the qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The findings revealed that the type of water source used for livestock significantly influenced livelihood diversification among households. Households engaged in livestock keeping, combined with farming or off-farm activities, benefited from both improved and unimproved water sources, and enhanced livelihood diversification. However, those solely dependent on livestock, the water source type had no significant relationship to the choice of livelihood strategy. The study concludes that pastoralist households’ choice of water sources for livestock supported livelihood diversification. It recommends prioritising water infrastructure development in areas with diversified livelihoods, and preserving traditional unimproved water sources for pastoralist communities. Policy interventions should address the specific needs of both diversified and traditional pastoralist households, ensuring sustainable water management and resilience to climate variability.