Headwater catchments are often perceived to be remote and peripheral, and are
therefore neglected, least developed and economically backward. However,
changes in headwater regions have repercussions far beyond their borders. The
Uporoto highlands in Mbeya region form the headwater region for the Ruaha
River and Kiwira River drainage systems that are of great significance to
Tanzania. Village settlements development, population growth, and poor land
management along the water divide have contributed to gully erosion that is a
potential hazard. Using a case of Igoma, the largest village settlement in the
region, this paper establishes the link between settlement growth and
degradation of headwater catchments. It discusses the opportunities and
hazards of the gullies to the local communities. The paper further draws lessons
for rural settlement development, and gives recommendations for minimizing
the negative impacts of degradation of the headwater environment. Lastly, it
creates awareness on the apparently neglected potential environmental hazard
in the Uporoto Highlands.