Mbeya Region Website

Chunya District has brilliant natural resources such as forestry, wildlife, honey bees, minerals and fishes. In view of that, the District has prepared most important efforts in raising these natural resources.  

The District has 41,300 hectares of land area covered mostly with miombo woodland forests. Forest resources serve a variety of functions including timber, fuel-wood, honey production, charcoal production and environment conservation. The District is carrying harvesting of forest products by local investors in small scale.

Wildlife resources found in Chunya District are wide-ranging. They include wild animals such as leopards, lions, cheater, elephants, buffalos, crocodiles, Giraffes, Aardvarks, Jackals, Eland, Greater Kudu, Grants and Thomson gazelle, Hartebeests, Sable and Roan antelopes, Impalas, warthogs, bush pigs, civets, pangolins, porcupines, zebras, Duiker, Klipspringer, snakes (e.g. black mambas), tortoises, and a variety of birds, amphibians, reptiles. There is no enough research conducted to know all species of animals found in the District. However, the District is the corridor of wildlife from Ruaha to Katavi National Park.

                                                                                

Lake Rukwa accommodates difference animals like Hippos, Snakes, and Amphibians, Tortoise and crocodile as well as different fish species. The Lake is known for its high population of crocodiles and it is a major source of fish consumed in the District and the Region in general

Commercial fishing activities are carried in deep water especially in Lake Rukwa. Lake Rukwa occupies 106,500 Ha in the District and there is different types of fishes found like ‘’gege’’, ‘’ningu’’, ‘’kachinga’’, ‘’kambale’’, ‘’katanda’’, ‘’kolokolo’’ and ‘’dagaa’’. Fishing is also carried out in some rivers like Rungwa, Songwe, Zira and Lupa while fish farming is conducted in smale scale.

  

Miombo woodlands forest mentioned above are characterized of rich species that make suitable sites for nursing bee colonies. Beekeeping activities are carried in several areas in the District on commercial basis by small scale entrepreneurs.

  

Given the plenty of natural resources in Chunya District there are many areas for investment opportunities which can be exploited by both local and foreign investors. The following are potential investment opportunities in the District:

 

- Forest plantation

- Processing of forestry products (forestry industries) 

- Forest extracts (herbs)

- Tree nurseries.

 

- Establishment of animal Zoo 

- Wildlife photographing and viewing.

- Wild animal farming e.g. crocodile , snake  

 

- Commercial fishing in Lake Rukwa

- Fish and fish products industries

- Fisheries supporting facilities and services such as refrigeration, boat building and transport 

- Supply and maintenance of fishing gears and equipments

- Research and development in the fishing industry

 

- Production of Beekeeping gears 

- Honey processing, packaging and wax production

- Construction of honey collection Centre

- Marketing information centers