Project Detail

Climate Change Mitigation and Curbing Environmental Degradation in Avila Ward 2, Nyanga District – Phase II

1.0 Problem
Threat of Climate Change to community livelihoods: Over the past decade successive droughts have devastated the livelihoods of many households, which do not have the means to cushion themselves against global warming.
Land degradation: High population densities, overstocking and poor conservation practices have led to the development of numerous gullies especially Samakande, Chikata, Chifambe and Taibu villages. This problem needs to be arrested through afforestation, land rehabilitation and intensive catchment management.

2.0 Project Goal
Communities that have been capacitated to adapt to climate change and to manage land resources sustainably, in Ward 2 of Nyanga District

3.0 Objectives
a) Strengthening the capacity of communities to use Jatropha C. L for climate change mitigation and for diversifying livelihoods.
b) Developing technologies that promote efficient utilization of bio-fuels as household energy resources.
c) Strengthening community stewardship over the management of land in the Ward.

4.0 Project activities
? Establishing infrastructure for oil pressing facility;
? Purchasing and installing oil press;
? Training community members to operate the oil press and to make soap;
? Promoting household use of Jatropha oil as a bio-fuel by manufacturing and promoting lamps and stoves that use Jatropha oil; and
? Promoting and supporting catchment management, afforestation using Jatropha and other multipurpose trees, and rehabilitation of gullies.

5.0 Project Results
Economic empowerment of women who own and run successful soap making units
Increased employment opportunities for community members in the ward
Markets for soap and other by-products of Jatropha are developed
Community members accept and adopt JCL oil as a paraffin substitute for lighting and cooking.
Information and knowledge is disseminated throughout the project membership
Reduction in soil erosion
Catchment committees are set up to spearhead NR management in the ward.
Increase in vegetative cover. Change in attitudes towards trees.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Avila Development Committee

Country:

Zimbabwe

Area Of Work:

Climate Change Mitigation
Climate Change Mitigation

Operational Phase:

OP4 - Y3 (Jul 09 - Jun 10)

Grant Amount:

US$ 19,709.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 8,500.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 3,810.00

Project Number:

ZIM/SGP/OP4/Y3/CORE/2009/14

Start Date:

1/2010

End Date:

12/2012

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

A revolving fund will be introduced later for the Women?s Jatropha Groups. The successful groups will get will get a loan for buying chemicals and other inputs (e.g. caustic soda); and the group will pay back to the project account after they have sold their soap and other products. Only groups that can produce their own seed will be eligible for the soft loans.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

All project members are indigenous Zimbabweans.

Policy Impact

Policy Influence

Avila Ward falls within the country Zone I of Jatropha production and yet very little is being done by government to help communities here to grow and benefit from Jatropha. The project will help to persuade government to invest resources in communal lands where more Jatropha can be produced at relatively low cost. Secondly local processing and use of bio-fuel from Jatropha will reduce reliance on paraffin. This should curtail current retrogressive policies and practices where companies affiliated to the National Biodiesel Project are using paraffin to pay community members for their Jatropha seed. The proposed project will demonstrate the ?best? incentive for encouraging Jatropha production by communities in the country.

Capacity - Building Component

Capacity building through training will involve: ? Training the machine operators who will be full-time employees of the project. ? Training of Trainers, i.e. 5 women from each village-level Jatropha Group will be trained to make soap, and how to use Jatropha oil as a bio-fuel. ? Training group members in soap making ? There has already been training on leadership ? this will continue ? Training other community members how to propagate Jatropha ? More awareness raising on the value of Jatropha

Gender Focus

Gender training was offered as part of main streaming during Phase I of the project. This will continue. There is a gender balance in the main project committee (4 men and 4 women). The village Jatropha groups are controlled by women although there are some male members.

Linkages gef projects

N/A

Planning non gef grant

N/A

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Some the key project benefits relate to helping households to earn income and increase food availability for the household through: ? Selling Jatropha seed ? this is already happening. Seed is being sold to get money for school fees and for payment for grinding cereals. ? Selling soap ? Selling the oil for use as bio-fuel ? Using the Jatropha cake to improve crop production ? Using Jatropha to fence gardens and fields.

Project sustainability

Sustainability will be guaranteed by empowering the Avila Community to own the project in its entirety. The mechanisms for empowerment include: a) Encouraging massive growing of Jatropha trees so that future supplies of seed are guaranteed; b) Proving skills for local processing and use of JCL products for household benefits or for sale; c) Facilitating the realization and sharing of a common vision among the community members; d) Ensuring that community members benefit in terms of income, soap, jobs, fuel; and other benefits such as hedge, shade and erosion control; e) Edit Trust will facilitate the establishment and registration of a Community Trust to which it will hand over project assets. The Trustees will be trained and assisted to take over and manage the project. Edit Trust has successfully done this before in Ward 4 of Nyanga district and in Nyamapanda in Mudzi district. The proposed training activities and active participation/ownership by women will also ensure sustainability.

Notable Community Participation

The project is already community-driven. The Ward-level Project Committee controls the project. They are the signatories of the project account. The village level committees which are controlled by women produce the Jatropha seed and they will control the soap making and marketing process.

Replication of project activities

This project can be replicated in Nyanga district?s Ward 1 (Fombe) which is in the same Cluster; Wards 3 and 6 which are also producers of the Jatropha seed; and Chikwizo Communal land (Mudzi district) where a lot of Jatropha is being grown.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

This will be done through project awareness meetings.

Planning gef grant

Yes, Edit Trust has already submitted (through the GEFSGP National Office) a medium scale proposal which covers the Rwenya Cluster and additional wards referred to above.

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