Tanzania’s Maasai voice concerns over carbon credit, citing ‘threat to existence’

2025-03-23 04:34:44

(MENAFN) Longido Region, Tanzania - Lepilal Ole Saitoti, 68, sat outside his traditional mud-walled boma last December, calmly staring at the plains that had supported his family for generations.

While his cattle, weakened by the prolonged dry spell, roamed in search of food, they were unaware of the rising threats that loomed over their grazing lands.

Saitoti remarked, “I have seen many things in my life, but I have never seen anyone try to sell ‘hewa ukaa,’” which he identified as the Swahili term for carbon.

His village, situated in northern Tanzania's vast rangelands, is at the heart of a contentious debate over carbon credit programs.

While global corporations and conservation groups support these programs to help polluters offset their carbon emissions through conservation funding, the promised ecological improvements and financial benefits often fail to materialize for local communities.

MENAFN23032025000045017169ID1109345993

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.