Open Journal of Soil Science, 2014, 4, 469-493 Published Online December 2014 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojss http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2014.413046 How to cite this paper: Kangalawe, R.Y.M., Noe, C., Tungaraza, F.S.K., Naimani, G., and Mlele, M. (2014) Understanding of Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Institutions on Sustainable Land Management in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Open Journal of Soil Science, 4, 469-493. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2014.413046 Understanding of Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Institutions on Sustainable Land Management in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania Richard Y. M. Kangalawe 1 , Christine Noe 2 , Felician S. K. Tungaraza 3 , Godwin Naimani 4 , Martin Mlele 5 1 Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 2 Department of Geography, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 3 Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 4 Department of Statistics, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es salaam, Tanzania 5 Alpha and Omega Consulting Group Limited, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Email: a_ocg@yahoo.com Received 22 October 2014; revised 28 November 2014; accepted 7 December 2014 Copyright © 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Abstract The paper is based on a study whose objective is to provide an understanding of the extent to which traditional knowledge and indigenous institutions for natural resource governance remain relevant to solving current land degradation issues and how they are integrated in formal policy process in Kilimanjaro Region. Data collection for this study combined qualitative and quantita- tive methods. A total of 221 individuals from households were interviewed using a structured questionnaire; 41 in-depth interviews and 24 focus group discussions were held. Findings indicate that the community acknowledges that there is traditional knowledge and indigenous institutions regarding sustainable land management. However, awareness of the traditional knowledge and practices varied between districts. Rural-based districts were found to be more aware and there- fore practiced more of traditional knowledge than urban based districts. Variations in landscape features such as proneness to drought, landslides and soil erosion have also attracted variable responses among the communities regarding traditional knowledge and indigenous practices of sustainable land management. In addition, men were found to have more keen interest in con- serving the land than women as well as involvement in other traditional practices of sustainable land management. This is due to the fact that, customarily, it is men who inherit and own land. This, among other factors, could have limited the integration of traditional knowledge and indi- genous institutions in village by-laws and overall policy process. The paper concludes by recom- mending that traditional knowledge and indigenous institutions for sustainable land management