Project Detail

Intergrating beekeeping and environment conservation for poverty reduction and resolution of agro-environment conflicts in river catchments

Farming in dry season is usually practiced in water catchment areas. Farmers invade water sources and river banks. Where irrigation is practiced, water is diverted for irrigation purposes. This leads to reduced flows downstream, which negatively affective users and plants. This proposal explains how dry season farming in the upland areas of Mdandu Division, Njombe District affects lowlands of Wanging?ombe and proceeds to propose beekeeping activities as an alternative off farm activity that can be pursued during dry season therefore minimize disruption of water flow which sometimes lead to agro-environmental conflicts resulting in breach of peace and community tranquillity.

About the Proponent:

The proponent is a Youth NGO based in Njombe. It has operations in the NJOLUMA sub-region covering the districts of Njombe and Ludewa and Makete which are also recognized as periphery districts. It was established in 1998 and is registered at the National level. Past activities include interventions in cooperative education, Aqua farming and HIV/AIDS.

Project Objective:

To reduce scale of land degradation, which is caused by dry season unsustainable farming practices in upland areas through promoting bee-keeping activities as an alternative off-farm and income generating initiative during dry season in Mdandu division.

Secondary objectives:

1. To control use of water in upstream areas particularly during dry season in order to ensure sufficient water for downstream users.
To promote proper tillage methods in order to prevent land degradation, which is caused by soil erosion due to improper farming practices

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Tanzania Youth Self-Employed Development Association

Country:

Tanzania

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

OP4 - Y1 (Jul 07-Jun08)

Grant Amount:

US$ 41,863.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 28,900.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 25,700.00

Project Number:

TAN/SGP/OP4/RAF/Y1/08/08

Start Date:

9/2008

End Date:

12/2010

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Project sustainability

After full awareness seminars and training and following tangible project results, the local community is expected to carry on with environment conservation and beekeeping activities ater UNOPS pulls out. Local Government authorities in the district together with TY-SEDA will continue to mobilize local resources to assist the communities in Mdandu Division to sustain the project.

Capacity - Building Component

Apart from knowledge to be given to the community through sensitization seminars on importance of environment conservation and water sources protection, the youth community will be given training through workshops on honey and beeswax processing. Speciall workshop will be conducted on entrepreneurship and marketing of honey and beeswax products, a continuity activity through improvement of its products fetching better precises in identified markets thereby increasing income, and reduce poverty among the community members.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Beeking will be a continuing process by the youth groups on self-employment basis and sustain the project through sales of honey and beeswax products and knowledge to be acquired through workshop training. The financial profit and other material gains will encourage the people to maintain, sustain and expand the project for more employment and income thereby sustainabing their livelihoods.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Community members in Mdandu Division who will participate and contribute towards the project on the indigenous people of the area. They are WABENA by tribe, hard working and committed to achieve objectives and tangible results on issues commonly agreed.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

During sensitization seminars in the 10 villages, knowledge will be given to participats on Global Environment issues. Their actions in Matandu Division will contribute directly and indirectly to global environment because the water sources from the area drain into Ruaha River which pours its waters into Mtera and Kidau Dams before joining Rufiji River into the Indican Ocean, thereby influencing and helping to maintain global diversity and achieve one of the MDGs, that of ensuring environment sustainability.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

TY-SEDA management will be transparent in managing project funds and the community will be informed in appropriate forums like project management meetings and village governments meetings for the views and opnions. Apart from grant funds, proper mechanisms will be established to manage revenus from sales of beekeeping products to ensure fair distribution of profits among members and sustainability of the project.

Notable Community Participation

The community will contribute much in attending tree nurseries and in tree planting. They will procure forest soil, animal manure for developing tree nurseries. They will work on seed-beds and attend the nurseries and later on do the tree planting. The youths will also participate in collecting and hiving honey bee swarms and attend bee hives against destruction, bush fires or theft. Community contribution is valued at Tshs. 25,700,000/=

Replication of project activities

The project can easibly be replicated elsewhere, inside and outside Njombe District, especially in areas where there are conflicting interests among communities with regard to safety-nets projects or alternative projects to ease out tension will be an essential advantage.

Policy Impact

The project falls within national priorities and policies regarding protection of environment. The National Environment Policy is multi-sectoral involving Ministries of national resources, Agriculture, Water and Lands. The project is therefore directly and positively influencing policy impact at both district and national levels.

Policy Influence

The project will create practical impact on policy implementation with special regard to environment policy at district and national levels. The project will demonstrate in practice how environment conservation can benefit the communities. Through implementation of this project, policies on water, forestr, land and agriculture will be enhanced.

Gender Focus

The project will involve both young men and women in both tree nurseries and tree planting. Beekeeping easily creates balance in development with regard to gender and can easily be performed by women. About 60-70% of the youth to be engaged in beekeeping with the women. Processing of beekeeping products is simple and women can best do. Wanzuki beer made from honey is attractice product in local (village) market cashing in good profit for women.

Project Results

1. Environment destruction and land degradation in upland water catchments in Njombe District (West) will be reduced because the communities will receive education on environment conservation through awareness seminars.

2. Once environment conservation is achieved and sustained, it is expected that water flow and volume will increase to feed the Wanging'ombe gravity water supply scheme from its two intakes of Mtukwa and Mtitafu. it is hope more than 90 people will contrinue to get water.

3. The project has planned to raise and plant 2 million trees. When this goal is achieved, the present situation of land degradation will be reversed, ensuring and sustaining the valuable water sources for the Wanging'ombe water scheme and for Usangu Plain wetlands.

4. Beekeeping component is a lucrative activity among the youth. it is simple and needing little capital yet yielding good revenue and rewarding profit. About 200 people will be employed in the activity,bringing to them income from sale of honey and beeswax, reducing poverty among them, starting with income poverty.

5. Apart from employment and income generated by bee-keeping activity, the project will help to balance and maintain biological diversity which is important to agricultural development. The work is best done by honey bees as pollinators.

6. In a situation of armed conflicts or feuds, there is no peace nor development. The project is expected to bring tranquity among prople of Mdandu and Wanging'ombe Divisions of Njombe who always fight for water which gets more scarce in the dry season. The project maintains increased steady flow of water enough for both communities and allow prople to continue with development activities at peace.

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