Ms Naima Besta
| Job Title | Contact | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Research Student | N dot Besta at uea dot ac dot uk |
Biography
Gender analysis of coastal livelihoods is an important aspect of disaggregating and interpreting information about the roles of households and communities in the management of natural resources. Understanding gender in a particular context will help us find effective and equitable ways of managing natural resources for sustainable livelihoods.
Naima’s qualitative research on seaweed farming and gender intra-household relations on Songo Songo Island Tanzania intend to examine how the rise and decline in seaweed farming and production has affected the gender relations of seaweed farmers within their households. In the end, this will show how environmental wellbeing and human wellbeing are connected and disconnected, since this is important in understanding how climatic fluctuations will affect the wellbeing of poor people dependent on coastal resources for their livelihoods.
By studying rise and decline of seaweed farming and it is effect on gender intra-household relations, this research will contribute to the social-ecological understanding of the crossing point between natural and social processes and the relationship between natural and human well-being with regard to coastal resource utilization and climate in Tanzania.
On the other hand, the research will provide empirical knowledge to conservation and poverty alleviation project organizers and planners and policy makers about the influence of local realities embedded in the social institutions linked with macro influences in determining the management and use of coastal resources. Such understanding contributes an input to the formulation of policies and programmes that are sensitive to the local realities, including gender inequalities, required for poverty reduction and natural resource conservation.
Academic Background
Prior to commencing her studies in School of Development Studies at UEA, Naima worked for Songas Limited from 1997-1998; and later from 2000- 2007 responsible for implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility of the Company, particularly the mitigations measures identified in Environmental and Social Management plan of the Songo Songo gas to electricity project. In 2000, she worked as a Land Use planner for African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) responsible for Wildlife Enterprise and Local Development for West Kilimanjaro Project (WELD) in Arusha Tanzania. Her main task was to work with communities on land use issues, village land acts, and help relate them to community wildlife management.
Naima successfully completed a MA degree in Demography in 1996. As partial fulfilment for the MA degree at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, she successfully conducted a research and wrote a dissertation on “Effects of Environmental Changes on Migration: a case study of Kondoa District, Dodoma Region, Tanzania. She successfully completed BA degree in Geography specializing on Land use Planning and Environmental Studies from the University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania in 1994. She has attended various training and Seminars on environment, cleaner production, energy, training delivery skills including training in integrated management and assessment system of savanna ecological modelling Program and Sav View.
Naima is a Lead Fellow (www.lead.org) and also member of Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST), her interests is on poverty eradication through sustainable participatory development activities. She is a founding member of Africa Education Fund (AEF), NGO where she works with other members towards improving education in rural areas. She is also a board member of Digital Links Tanzania, NGO working towards provision of information and communications technology (ICT) equipment and training for schools in Tanzania.
