Deodatus Mfugale is a Tanzanian journalist who has over ten years of experience in environmental reporting and who won various awards, including a 2009 Southern African Development Community Water Media Award. He is working with the Journalists Environmental Association of Tanzania as a features writer and media trainer. (To read the second fellow’s interview click here.)

What made you start writing about environmental issues and why did you chose to specialize in this kind of reporting?

Two facts influenced my choice. First, I was born in a very remote village where tall grass, dense forests, floods and perennial rivers were part of our life, so environment is naturally important to me. Second, I worked in land management, before I studied journalism. We used to raise tree seedlings and work on water projects and livestock breeding. So I understand environmental issues through a more professional point of view.  

When did you begin your journalism career?

I began my career in journalism 14 years ago, when I started reporting on environmental issues after joining the Journalists Environmental Association of Tanzania. I began to write more serious and interesting articles at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002.

Why did you apply for this fellowship?

I applied for the fellowship because I wanted to improve my knowledge of climate change issues and my reporting skills while interacting with other journalists and media professionals.

How did you convince your editor to publish your articles on the environment after the conference?

I had no problem convincing my editor because I have been writing about climate change and environmental issues for a long time. I have always made his work easy, and he knew I would send him several stories from Durban if I won the fellowship. He also realized my participation in COP17 would give me a better perspective of climate change issues and thus help me to produce better articles.

What are the most important environmental issues in your country?

The most important issues in Tanzania are deforestation, water shortage and land degradation all of which are linked to climate change. I hope that my articles will be a reporting example for the journalists in my country.

How will your attendance to this conference help your reporting about climate change?

Environment issues are not confined to one country and this meeting will extend my knowledge on other issues elsewhere in the world. I will also learn more on how other journalists report effectively and on what kind of techniques can be used to better deliver a message in different contexts. This will definitely make a difference in my reporting because these new skills and extended knowledge will help me to better report for the Tanzanian public.

What angles will you chose for your articles?

People like to read what is relevant to them - their successes, their failures and their problems and how they can deal with it. My articles will highlight the relevance of the subject at hand in the daily lives of Tanzanians and link it to the situation elsewhere in the world.