I completed my Portfolio for SIT. This project is meant to work out some of the kinks we may encounter for our final Independent Study Project (ISP). I did a small case study of 4 rivers upstream of the sugar cane processing plant and studied the water quality to determine level of pollution. I did the data collection working with my adviser, Dr. Mmochi of the Institute of Marine Sciences, a part of the University of Dar Es Salaam in Zanzibar. Everyone at IMS is very helpful however they are also extremely busy so it was hard to get everything completed in a timely fashion. Also due to external factors, such as two national holidays, and a weekend my week was eaten up before I could analyze my data. I was able to take extra time to complete the study but it was frustrating. This was a good experience to test the waters for my ISP such as going to the site and getting an adviser. I also learned the valuable skill of learning the layout of the lab here so I feel much more comfortable expanding my research to an area downstream of the factory during the month of November that is set aside wholly for our ISPs. At this point I am still going to look at Dr. Mmochi’s 1997-1999 study of the water quality in the Mahonda sugar cane factory area and collect samples to compare how the shut down of the factory has improved or degraded the surrounding environment since its shut down in 1999. I also did research and found that the WWF has created Better Management Practices (BMPs) for sugar cane factories in critical areas such as Zambia, South Africa, and the Indus River Valley. I hope to compare the management plan of the Mahonda factory with these and create a new plan that will help improve the local environment by integrating aspects of natural resource management, and the BMPs. But we shall see if this ends up being my final plan. For now I am excited to have a purpose and a preliminary study of the situation.
