This project addresses the interconnected issues of human poverty, declining land productivity and forest degradation in Eyasi Division of Northern Tanzania. Eyasi Division is situated amid important conservation areas such as the Serengeti,  Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara National Park.

Problems of diminishing natural resources and widespread poverty are compounded by high population growth rates, soil depletion from poor farming methods, and deforestation to supply fuel and farming land.

Objective

• The objective of this project is to strengthen the abilities of forest adjacent communities in Eyasi Division to reverse land degradation and improve their livelihoods through sustainable use of natural resources. It is a capacity building project in community-based forest management, aimed at empowering people and at achieving tangible results.

The immediate objectives are to establish reforestation sites and to provide training and support in forest management.

Activities

Community based environmental monitoring and control of resources that are used by the communities themselves is vital. A forest management strategy will be developed with the range of stakeholders. Local responsibility and ownership of projects is important for forest restoration. This project will make use of and empower traditional forms of forest management and conservation, recognizing that communities can responsibly manage the natural resources on which they are dependent.
The project will also provide support for local community-led initiatives for biodiversity conservation and natural resource management.

Beneficiaries

Currently the direct beneficiaries of this project are the smallholder farmers and pastoralists of three villages. 2,500 households or 10,000 persons will have access to the tree nurseries and the agroforestry programme. The establishment of tree nurseries and community forests, the recovery of degraded village land through reforestation, and the development of buffer zones around remaining natural forest habitat will benefit the community at large.