Chapter 12: Our Resources - PDF

FOR ONLINE USE ONLY DO NOT DUPLICATE Chapter Twelve Our resources Introduction In Standard Four, you learnt about the resources which are available in your village, street and ward. Also, you learnt about the re...

FOR ONLINE USE ONLY DO NOT DUPLICATE Chapter Twelve Our resources Introduction In Standard Four, you learnt about the resources which are available in your village, street and ward. Also, you learnt about the resources available in your district. In this chapter, you will learn about the resources found in your region and the ways LY of conserving and protecting them. You will also learn about activities which affect the resources available in your region and the different ways of conserving them. N The meaning of resources O A resource is anything that has value. If properly utilized, the resources of a country can help it make progress. Resources can be destroyed if they are not properly used. It is the responsibility of every citizen to conserve SE these resources. The resources which are available in your region can be divided into two main categories, namely natural resources and man-made resources. U Natural resources: These are the natural properties that a person, community or country has. Such resources are not man-made. They occur naturally. Examples of natural resources are land, gas, water, minerals, E natural vegetation and wildlife. N Man-made resources: These are man-made properties which a person, LI community, region or country owns and uses. These resources include infrastructure such as roads, railways, harbours, airports and buildings. N This category also includes historical sites and museums like the ancient drawings of Kondoa Irangi, the old historical houses of Kaole in Bagamoyo O and Kilwa Kivinje and the German old houses and stone houses in Zanzibar. In addition, there are cultural and traditional attractions, for example clothes, dances and songs which are also resources. R Exercise 1 FO Answer the following questions: 1. What is a resource? 2. Mention two categories of resources. 135 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 135 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY 3. DO Provide examples of NOT DUPLICATE resources which belong to each category of resources you have mentioned above and which are found in your region. Land as a resource Land is the part of the earth which is not covered with water and on which vegetation grows. Land is a resource that hosts all other resources. It is the place where various activities are done. For example, crop cultivation, livestock keeping, commercial and industrial activities are done on land. LY The contribution of land resource to development In the development of a region, agricultural activities are done on land for the N purpose of producing food and cash crops. Roads, railways and airports are O built on land. Also, land preserves different kinds of minerals. On land there is soil which is used for farming and making various items such as pots, sculptures and bricks. If utilized effectively, land can increase the income of SE a region and the nation as a whole. But inappropriate use of land causes its degradation. Factors that contribute to land degradation U There are various factors which contribute to land degradation. As a resource, land can be degraded by various actions, as discussed in Chapter One of E this book. Some of these actions are improper agricultural practices which do not comply with the principles and best practices of land conservation. N For example, cutting down trees, using fire to clear farms and continuous cultivation of a certain piece of land for a long time without allowing it to LI fallow. The growing of the same type of crop on a farm for a long period of time (monocroping) also causes land degradation. The use of chemical N fertilizers and pesticides in crop cultivation also degrades land. These activities affect the quality of land and result in poor crop yields. Another O cause of land degradation is livestock keeping. If the number of animals kept in a given area exceeds the capacity of the land to provide fodder to animals, R the land will be degraded. Nomadic pastoralism is a system of livestock keeping which involves people moving with their animals from one place to FO another in search of pasture and water. This causes land degradation, since the animals compact the soil as they move from one place to another. This leaves the soil bare and easily eroded by water and wind. Also, the disposal of solid waste, which cannot be decomposed, for example plastic bags in an area, destroys land resources. 136 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 136 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY DOresources Ways of conserving land NOT DUPLICATE In order for us to protect our land we have to: (a) Educate our people on the importance of land; (b) Encourage farmers to adopt good methods of cultivation such as leaving their farms uncultivated for some time to improve soil fertility; (c) Practise crop rotation so that our land does not lose its fertility quickly; (d) Use natural fertilizer to improve soil fertility; LY (e) Construct contours on steep slopes; (f) Plant trees around farms to preserve soil fertility as well as living N organisms and control soil erosion; (g) Make sure that the number of animals kept in one area corresponds O with the capacity of the land to provide fodder; and (h) Dispose of waste properly, especially waste which does not decompose like plastic bags. SE As shown in Figure 1, tree planting is one of the ways of conserving land as it controls soil erosion. U E N LI N O R FO Figure 1: Pupils planting trees in their school compound 137 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 137 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY Exercise 2 DO NOT DUPLICATE Answer the following questions: 1. Explain the importance of land. 2. Mention activities which contribute to land degradation. 3. Mention ways of preventing land degradation. Water as a resource LY Water is a natural resource which is found in oceans, rivers, lakes and dams, as well as underground. Ground water is water which is found and stored in rocks. When it rains, some of the water penetrates into the soil and goes into N the ground. Some of it flows on the surface and enters oceans, rivers, dams and lakes. Rain water can be obtained through springs and wells. O The importance of water SE Water is important to living things. Without water, there is no life. So, we can say ‘Water is life’. Water is also used to generate hydroelectric power, which is used in industries and homes. Water is also used as a means of transport. U In agriculture, water is used for irrigation. It is also used for domestic and industrial activities. Water provides a habitat for aquatic organisms like fish crabs, lobsters and mammals. These resources provide food and income to E some people. Some seas and lakes, such as Lake Kindai and Lake Singidani in Singida Region, provide salt which can be used for domestic and industrial N purposes. Other lakes, for example Lake Natron, contain bicarbonate of LI soda, which is used to produce a variety of food products such as cake and bread. It is also used to soften food while one is cooking. N Water pollution O The pollution of water resources can be caused by a number of activities such as agricultural activities which are done near water sources and the R burning and cutting down of trees and forests near water sources without proper conservation plans. Other activities include discharge of waste water FO by industries and households. If such water flows into rivers, lakes and seas, it causes water pollution. Also, illegal fishing such as the use of poison and toxic substances to catch fish destroys and pollutes water. These actions affect and kill the living things found in water sources. 138 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 138 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY DOresources Ways of protecting water NOT DUPLICATE In order for us to protect water resources, we must: (a) Educate our people on the importance of water as a resource and on the best way to conserve it; (b) Enforce the rules and regulations that prohibit the carrying out of human activities near sources of water; (c) Stop cutting down trees in areas which are near and around water sources; LY (d) Treat waste water from industries before releasing it into rivers, lakes and seas; N (e) Prohibit illegal fishing practices such as using poison and explosives to catch fish; and O (f) Harvest rain water. Exercise 3 Answer the following questions: SE 1. Explain the importance of water. U 2. Mention the main uses of water in your region. 3. List activities which lead to the pollution of water resources. E N 4. Mention five ways of conserving water resources. LI Natural vegetation as a resource N Natural vegetation means all plants which grow naturally in a certain area. These plants are different from those which are planted by human beings. O The types of natural vegetation found in Tanzania are forests, shrubs and grass. Natural vegetation relates directly to climate. For example, areas with plenty of rainfall have dense forests and areas with low rainfall have shrubs R and grass. FO The contribution of natural vegetation to the development of a region Natural vegetation is useful in the formation and availability of rainfall in a 139 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 139 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY particular area. ForestsDO NOT industrial support DUPLICATEdevelopment by providing raw materials like timber for construction and for making furniture and paper. We also get fuel wood and charcoal from forests or trees. Natural vegetation also provides a habitat for many animals. Activities that contribute to the destruction of natural vegetation Natural vegetation can be destroyed through agricultural activities. For example, shifting cultivation can result in the destruction of natural vegetation over time. Also, charcoal making and the cutting down of trees for firewood destroy forests. LY Conservation of natural vegetation N In order for us to conserve natural vegetation, we must: O (a) Educate our people on the importance of natural vegetation; (b) Control all economic activities by setting rules and regulations relating (c) to forest management; SE Encourage our people to plant trees before cutting them down; and U (d) Avoid setting fire in wildlife areas. Exercise 4 Answer the following questions: E 1. Define the term natural vegetation. N 2. Mention the types of natural vegetation found in your region. LI 3. Mention activities which contribute to the destruction of natural N vegetation in your region. O 4. Explain ways of conserving natural vegetation in your region. R Wildlife as a resource A wildlife protected area is an area demarcated specifically for the FO protection and conservation of wild animals. In Tanzania, there are various wildlife protected areas. These include national parks, game reserves and conservation areas. The national parks include Serengeti, Katavi, Manyara, 140 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 140 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY DO NOT Mikumi, Ruaha and Tarangire. DUPLICATE Examples of game reserves are Selous and Ugalla. An example of a conservation area is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Some of the large wild animals found in these conservation areas are elephants, buffalos, rhinos, giraffes, leopards, lions, wildebeest, kudus and zebra (see Figure 2). LY N O SE U E Figure 2: Wild animals in a national park N The contribution of wildlife to development LI Wildlife contributes to our national income through domestic and international tourism. It also stimulates the development of infrastructure such as roads, N communications and hotels. Moreover, it helps to increase peoples’ income by stimulating and creating employment opportunities, especially through O tourism activities. Wildlife areas are a source of knowledge which is obtained through study tours and by doing research. R Activities that contribute to destruction of wildlife areas FO Destruction of wildlife areas can be caused by various activities such as livestock keeping and crop farming inside wildlife areas. Also, setting fire near or inside wildlife areas destroys wildlife habitat. These actions kill 141 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 141 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY DO NOT and disturb animals, damage or DUPLICATE even destroy infrastructure and natural vegetation. Poaching, that is, illegal killing of wild animals such as elephants and rhinos destroys the ecosystem for wildlife. Protecting wildlife areas In order for us to protect wildlife areas, we need to: (a) Enforce laws which prohibit human activities such as crop cultivation and livestock keeping in wildlife areas; LY (b) Educate our people on the importance of wildlife areas and on how to protect them; (c) Conduct day-to-day patrols in wildlife areas in order to prevent N poaching; and O (d) Strengthen the boundaries of wildlife areas. Activity 1 SE  iscuss with your classmates the types of wild animals found D U in wildlife areas and the benefits of such areas. E Exercise 5 N Answer the following questions: LI 1. Mention at least three national parks that you know. 2. Explain the importance of national parks. N O Minerals Minerals are natural resources. They are extracted from the ground. R Tanzania has a variety of mineral deposits. Examples of the minerals found in Tanzania are: diamonds, iron, gas, copper, gold, Tanzanite, bicarbonate FO of soda, mica and coal. 142 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 142 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY DO NOT The contribution of minerals DUPLICATE to development Minerals provide our country with income. This income is used to build and maintain infrastructure, for example roads, water and communication facilities. Moreover, the areas surrounding mining sites benefit through improvement in the quality of social service facilities such as hospitals, schools and markets. Also, mines play an important role in the growth of settlements in mining areas to which people go to seek work. Protection of mineral resources LY In order for us to protect our resource, we must: (a) Use proper technology in mineral extraction; N (b) Make laws which govern the extraction, sale, purchase and transport of minerals and laws for environmental conservation; and O (c) Provide education to our people on proper mineral extraction methods and properly handle the chemicals used in mining activities. SE Activity 2 U Discuss in groups the benefits of minerals and then write E them in your exercise books. N Exercise 6 LI Answer the following questions: N 1. What are minerals? O 2. List the minerals which are found in your region. 3. Explain the importance of minerals. R 4. Explain ways of protecting mineral resources. FO 143 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 143 30/07/2021 11:49  FOR ONLINE USE ONLY Exercise 7 DO NOT DUPLICATE Answer the following questions: Write True for a true statement and False for a false statement. 1. Minerals, mountains, water and land are examples of natural resources. _________ 2. Lions, elephants, buffalos, snakes, goats and cows are some of the animals which live in wildlife areas. _________ LY 3. Without water sources, it is impossible to get safe and clean water. _________ N 4. Only the government is responsible for protecting our resources. O _________ 5. Soil erosion is the result of improper use of land resources. _________ Answer the following questions: SE 6. Mention the resources found in your region. U 7. Explain the efforts which are being made by the regional government to make sure that water is not polluted. E 8. Mention the types of natural vegetation which are found in your N district. LI N Vocabulary O Bicarbonate of soda a type of mineral salt which is used to produce soap or soften food while one is cooking R Monocroping the practice of growing the same type of crop on FO a farm for a long period of time Poaching illegal hunting of wild animals for the purpose of getting their trophies such as elephant tasks, meat and skin 144 SOCIAL STUDIES STD 5.indd 144 30/07/2021 11:49