| Overview : The project was designed to ensure that biodiversity conservation is mainstreamed into economic planning and development, so that agricultural productivity and sustainable livelihoods are improved while simultaneously improving the ecological integrity of the Miombo ecosystem of Western Tanzania, including securing its productivity from negative effects of climate change in Tabora and Katavi regions. For this reason, the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is implementing a 5-year project in response to the fact that despite its local and global significance, the Miombo Woodland is experiencing serious threats that are affecting biodiversity and livelihoods in the Miombo ecosystem. The long-term solution to the threats is the adoption of sustainable-use management practices for resources harvested by local people for subsistence and local economic growth, and better regulation of commercial activities. The government agreed to resolve these problems through a pilot project that mainstreams Sustainable Forest Management into the production systems in the central part of Tabora with activity spreading to Katavi. The overall Goal of the project is that “Sustainable Forest Management secures ecosystem and biodiversity values while providing a buffer to the Congolian Rain forest, ensuring food security and sustainable livelihoods. The objective of the project is “To enable Miombo dependent communities to adopt productive practices that are favorable to biodiversity conservation, reduce carbon emissions from land use change and improve livelihoods”. The project’s immediate focus is an area of 133,400 hectares covering which used to be 4 wards but now 13 in Kaliua, Urambo and Uyui in Tabora region, and Mlele district in Katavi. The project was initially targeting 12,530 households spread over 28 villages in the project area but because of administrative changes of districts and region it is presently benefiting 16,096 households in 42 villages. |
