The Problem Definition

The Tafi Mador and Agome cluster within the WETO landscape was known to be rich in diverse flora and fauna with sacred groves protecting water sheds. In recent times the resources within the landscape is facing a severe threat of extinction as a result of over exploitation of natural resources such as timber, fuel wood, non- timber forest products and also poor agricultural practices. As if that is not enough, residents have resulted to total disregard for the traditional means of protecting and conservation of the ecosystems and cultural heritage such as old settlements, caves, shrines, and sacred sites in the name of science, religion, and modernization. Human activities have led to poor rainfall pattern, degradation of the soil, drying up of their water sources and wanton distraction of their cultural sites.

The project design took into consideration the fact that any intervention to redress the situation must think of sustainable economic production and so have included alternative livelihood ventures and also taught of improvement of their farming methods to maintain a balance between increased crop production and conservation of biodiversity ecosystem since almost all of the residents are farmers.

The goal of this project is to create a thriving socio-ecological production landscape where the local communities are actively involved in the sustainable management and utilization of the natural resource for continuous flow of ecosystem services, increased production, and restoration of biodiversity for wealth creation. The purpose is to enhance the resilience of the people of Tafi Mador and Agome within the WETO landscape in biodiversity conservation, and integrated sustainable livelihood enterprise development. The following are the specific objectives of the project.

a) To enhance the conservation of biodiversity within the Tafi Mador and Agome portion of the WETO landscape through the conservation of watersheds, sacred groves and wildlife habitats
b) To strengthen institutional capacity at the landscape level to realize the goal of integrating conservation and sustainable livelihoods in the management of the targeted landscape.

Intended Results

i. 50 ha of degraded lands within the Tafi Mador and Agome of the Weto landscape placed under sustainable management and biodiversity conservation, through reforestation, agroforestry, sustainable land management, and organic agriculture.
ii. Institutional capacity at the landscape level strengthened through sustainable livelihood programmes and revival of traditional culture.

FIRST QUARTER REPORT

i. 3 stakeholder meetings have been held with 75 males and 24 women participating
ii. 42 volunteers( 13 Women and 29 Men) have been trained in nursery management.
iii. Two(2) tree nurseries have been raised in the two communities
iv.25 households have been identified and trained as beneficiaries
v. 80 hectares lands has been ear marked for integrated agriculture.


2ND QUARTER REPORT

1. Two-day bee keeping training workshop organized and 80 bee hives are being supplied to two groups (40 each).

2. Two training workshops were organized. Each training was followed by on farm and demonstration on the importance of lining and pegging and was well attended by all project beneficiaries.

3. 8, 000 cocoa, 50,000 grains of paradise, 600 black-pepper and 1800 ofram seedlings distributed to farmers .

4. 100 T-shirts printed and distributed to key stakeholders eg chiefs & elders, queen-mother & her council, opinion leaders, and project participants.

5. 5000 seedlings procured and made available to farmers to supplement their poorly germinated ones .

6.A memorandum of Agreement have been signed between each of the groups and ARDO and witnessed by chiefs of the various communities.