Prevention of Land Degradation Through Environmental Management Strategies and Enhancement of Community Livelihoods by Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies (ZIM/SGP/OP4/Y2/CORE/2009/01)

Project Details & Results

Chengaose Foundation Trust is an NGO that was registered in 2008. It seeks to minimize land degradation by offering alternatives to stream bank cultivation and promotion of fuel efficient stoves. In terms of the climate change focal area the community will install wind driven pumps for water extraction.

1.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT
One of the major problems is deforestation as people in this area gather firewood for domestic purposes. Even the nearby Mupfurudzi Game Park is under threat and this has resulted in extensive gully formation. The community is also involved in stream bank cultivation which has further worsened the issue of land degradation.

2.0 OBJECTIVES
a) To build local capacity to effectively manage environmental challenges like land degradation and food security threats
b) To increase household water supply through wind-mill driven pumps
c) To introduce conservation agriculture as a measure against stream bank cultivation
d) To minimize land degradation by establishing woodlots, orchards, and planting vertiva grass
e) To reduce the demand for fuel wood through promotion of energy efficient stoves

3.0 ACTIVITIES
a) Community Mobilization and awareness creation
b) Training all the 1511 households on water harvesting techniques and conservation farming
c) Site exploration of wells, establishment of wind-mill pumps and construction of water harvesting structures further away from streams
d) Relocation of stream-bank gardens to designated areas and preparation of 1 hectare plots for conservation farming
e) Establishment of woodlots and planting of vertiva grass in degraded areas
f) Training and construction of fuel saving stoves

4.0 ANTICIPATED RESULTS
a) a well informed and capacitated community able to solve environmental and food insecurity challenges in its district
b)increased household water supply
c) improved moisture levels
d) improved food security and community livelihoods
f) reduced land degradation and soil erosion
g) regeneration of vegetation and forests
i) surface run off and soil erosion minimized
j)enhanced survival of woodland biodiversity

Notable Community Participation
Active community participation will be achieved through community involvement in all stages of the project life cycle. The project members will be responsible for electing their own leadership and for drawing up a constitution to govern their activities. Club structures ensure voluntary participation and peer learning.

Capacity - Building Component
The project members will be equipped with decision making skills that allow for nurturing of local community project leadership. The project members' capacity to initiate and mange development projects will be enhanced through training and workshops on minutes writing, report writing, community financial administration among other skills.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
This project offers alternative means of livelihood as opposed to the net fishing and gold panning practices in the Mazowe district common amongst the youths. One hectare plots and gardens put under conservation agriculture will provide households with sufficient vegetables, fruits and other crops throughout the year.

Gender Focus
The project has 4534 women as active participants in the project. women will be actively involved in the decision making process. Since they are responsible for all the cooking in the households they will also be selected for the training on the construction of the stoves and their optimum use.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
none

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Project members will meet every 3 months for information sharing on the environment. At these meetings they will be addressed by agricultural and environmental experts from EMA, AGRITEX and other NGOs. An exchange visit will be part of the project activities that will expose the community to other environmental project initiatives.

Policy Impact
The project will improve local policies governing the use and management of natural resources through establishment of a local community by laws. The success of this project will strengthen the national policy on community management of natural resources, which emphasizes community ownership and benefit through resources management

Inovative Financial Mechanisms
Sell of vegetables, herbs and fruits is expected to earn households income