Moshi Rice Fields

Rice. Water. Sky. A tree.

We had been hearing of some rice fields to the east and south of Moshi for some time, though no one seemed to know exactly how to get there. I once received advice to cut through Rau Forest, but that trip was not very successful due to the road being impassable with our vehicle.

We finally cleared a Sunday to try to reach the fields. We didn't know exactly where to go but we guessed on the highest possibility of rice fields from satellite images on GoogleMaps.

After some very dusty roads we did finally reach the rice fields. The area was very scenic with a much different feel than the dry and arid savanna that dominates the landscape around Moshi. Palm trees dotted the landscape and the vibrant green of the rice mixed with the waters reflection of the sky created a calming landscape. The area appeared to be using naturally fed water (the fields were along the Rau River, which ultimately receives its water from Mt. Kilimanjaro) and it also bordered the Rau Forest, which provided a nice backdrop.

Although it was hot, we still go out for a short walk and there were numerous birds, not such a variety of species but many fish loving birds such as egrets and herons. We walked a bit to the border of the forest and there seemed to be a network of trails, likely used for non-timber (or timber) forest product extraction.

There were a few workers in the fields and others that were collecting water in jars. We saw a young guy with no shoes and rather rough looking with a slingshot and we asked him if he was hunting. He said that he used it to scare off the monkeys when they were raiding the crops, which is a believable excuse. Ana thought he was hunting birds and we both felt a bit better after the conversation. However, later we ran into him again and he was definitely shooting rocks at Crowned Hornbills. I called over to him and told him that he lied to me and he came over to chat. I asked him if he was eating them or if he sold them also. He said he hunted them because he was hungry and he would eat them himself. He begged me for some money, which I politely declined.

It was an interesting interaction and one that has happened to me many times before in developing countries. It's obvious that many of the inhabitants from the surrounding areas of forests and protected areas rely on the forests with little alternative. I feel for the guy and as I write out the story I realize how cold I might sound by not giving him money. It's something I learned a while ago; money isn't food, money is convertible. It also doesn't change behavior, at least how one might intend. If I would have given him money he could have spent it on food, or beer. He could have gone home or he could have seen another hornbill shortly after and killed it. He could be content or he could pick up the bad habit of begging. I think throwing some money at him would have assuaged some type of guilt of sympathy but it doesn't solve the real problem, which is frustrating because I am not directly involved in the types of things that need to be done but as with every social ill, I have to pick my battles I fight directly and just make sure I contemplate my decisions and their indirect effects to ensure I minimize the inevitable guilt that I would feel every time I am confronted with the striking imbalance of people's lives in the world.

Reflection of the sky.

A pretty cool dragon fly.

More water/sky action.

Rau Forest in the background.