1.1 Background
Enduimet lies in the most northern area of Tanzania and is part of West Kilimanjaro-Lake Natron ecosystem. It is bordered with Kilimanjaro National Park on the South-East, while on the North, It borders the Tanzania-Kenya political boundary. On the west side, the Enduimet wildlife management area borders with Ngasurai Open Area. It lies in ?Olmolog? and ?Tinga Tinga? wards in the West Kilimanjaro Basin of Longido District.
There have been efforts to conserve biodiversity in the Kilimanjaro-Natron ecosystem. However the Enduimet WMA has been facing several problems arising from the surrounding villages including encroachment and poor agriculture practice, . E-MAC Tanzania shall concentrate on addressing the issue through awareness raising on conservation of threatened ecosystem, institutional strengthening, and introduction of alternative income generating activities as a means to sustain the socio-economic status of the community in Enduimet WMA.
E-mac Tanzania has vast experience in the area of conservation of natural biodiversity having implemented the project of the same nature in Nguru Mountains-Morogoro. The residents were trained on how to conserve the natural biodiversity through an introduction of alternative income generating activities such as modern bee-keeping by laws enforcement . Saving and Lending groups were also formed in order to enable them to access capital affordably.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Ngereyani and Tingatinga villages are a part of the Kilimanjaro-Natron ecosystem. The ecosystem stretches from roughly around large part of Longido district and parts of Monduli and Ngorongoro districts. The district of Longido on the contrary is recorded as the one of the driest areas of Tanzania with temperature ranging from 20? C to 35?C and rainfall from 500mm to 900mm. Almost the entire district is located in lowlands except the western part which borders with West Kilimanjaro and in the proximity of Ketumbeine and Gelai mountains.
The ecosystem however on the part of Longido District faces several problems including open-grazing leading to threats on the ecosystem since most of the residents largely depend on traditional livestock keeping. Local communities encroach the Enduimet Wildlife Management Area for grazing purposes, burning wood for charcoal, poor agriculture practices, and shelter. These practices arise from lack of other economic means in the communities surrounding WMA and the sharp rise in population leading to inadequacy of land. According to District Natural Resource Officer ?Despite the existence of Village Natural Resources Committees which are to implement joint natural resources management and enforce by-laws; the institutions are weak, non-functional and lack cooperation with communities and village government.? It has been noted that there is lack of social inclusion in terms of natural resources management with the women, youth and the disabled being the main victims who lack access to the benefits arising from the economic activities in the Tinga Tinga and Ngereyani villages.
E-MAC Tanzania aims to address these problems through introduction of other income generating activities such as (livestock keeping) through promoting zero-grazing, entrepreneurship among women, youth, and the disabled (beads making for tourists and traditional bomas), and facilitating market linkages to provide the communities with alternative source of income reducing the dependency on the natural resources. E-mac will also work to strengthen 4 existing VSLAs in two villages (Tingatinga and Ngereyani) in Tingatinga ward. The women practicing poultry shall be linked with the existing tourist lodges around the area for marketing poultry produce.
In implementing this, E-MAC Tanzania will work jointly with local communities, District Natural Resource Officer, private sector stakeholders, Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO) and Local Government Authorities.
Further, E-MAC Tanzania shall strengthen community-based institutions (Village Natural Resource Committees, and Local Government Authorities) which will lead to improvement in joint forest management. E-MAC Tanzania in collaboration with stakeholders shall carry out a review of the by-laws in line with the responsibilities set out in the Land Act No. 4 of 1999, and Village Land Act No. 5 of 1999 to improve them in light of addressing encroachment