Context/Project Rationale:

? Songea is one of the peripheral districts in the country
? It borders Selous Game Reserve
? Although it has good soils and rainfall, most youths engage in poaching of wildlife from Selous Game Reserve for quick money
? The Lusonga Parish intend to address the problem of poaching through religion training and supporting them to do lawful income generating employment
? The choice of cashew-nut farming is not by default. In recent years, cashew-nuts have surpassed coffee, cotton, tea and tobacco as a high-priced crop. Its demand in the world market has continued to rise despite increased production.
? As a result, the Government has declared it as a strategic crop. The Government has also called upon new geographic areas, which traditionally are not cashew-nut growing areas to start growing cashew nuts.
? Songea is an old district, which traditionally has not been growing cashew-nuts
? Therefore, the project proposal by the Lusonga Parish is in response to the Government call.
? The project will have three key results (i) It will demonstrate on how to grow cashew-nuts to the youths and people of Lusonga Parish (ii) It will provide a reliable source of income to the target youths (iii) Cashew trees will contribute to combatting climate change through the process of carbon sequestration.


About the Proponent:

Lusonga Parish is a non-profitable Faith Based Organization. It operates under the Archdiocese of Songea Roman Catholic Church. The Parish has staff who do religion teachings to youths. It has also staff, who are trained in agriculture. They will be able to provide extension services to the youth project.

Project?s Primary Objective:

To improve the livelihoods of target youths in Lusonga Parish, Songea District.

Specific Objectives:

? To demonstrate to the people in Songea District on how cashew-nuts, which is a strategic crop and new in the district can be cultivated
? To contribute to combating climate change and land degradation through cashew-nut trees
? To reduce poaching in Selous Game Reserve, which is one of Tanzanian?s largest wildlife reserve.

Implementation Strategies:

? Religion teaching on transforming youths to live responsibly
? Train Youths on Cashew-nut farming techniques
? Establish a 50-acre cashew-nut field farm
? Establish a cashew-nut nursery for own youth and sale to other farmers
? Train and familiarize youths on the linkage between cashew-nut trees and global environment benefits
? Provide reliable and continuous extension services.

Anticipated Project Results

? 50 Youths (45 males; 15 females) will live a responsible life through assured income from the cashew farm.
? Over 6,000 farmers in the district will be able to learn cashew-nut farming through the project
? Cashew-trees take up to 5 years to start production. During that period, youths will grow vegetables and ornamental plants for sale to realize income. They will also be selling cashew-tree seedlings to earn early income
? At the Climate Change Mitigation level, 50-acre cashew-tree farm is expected to sequester 1,696.8t per year. This will contribute to the national action to combat the effects of climate change and improve the NDC levels.
? The project will demonstrate on how to implement the Government policy on expanding production of strategic crops in the country.