Project Detail

Sustainable Utilisation of Ilala project

The project is focussed on the preservation and sustainable utilisation of a palm locally known as Ilala found in western Zimbabwe. The palm is threatened with extinction due to unsustainable harvesting methods especially by peoples from other regions of the country for purposes of weaving basketry effects. The project components include regeneration of ilala forests, training on protection and sustainable harvesting inventories and general environmental activities.

Project objectives
1. to protect and restore the biological diversity of the illala palm forests in the Jotsholo area in lupane
2. to promote the sustainable utilization of the plant
3. to raise the local level awareness of the importance of the biological diversity of the illala zones
4. to conserve and maximaze the utilization of the resource to improve the standard of living of the people through increased income base.

project activities
-site selection for illala plantations in the six wards of Jotsholo. pupi,St Paul`s, Tshongokwane, Matshokotsha, and Sobendhle
-capacity building workshops
-training on illila agronomy in all six wards
-clearing of land for plantations and fencing
exposure visit to Binga illala project

project outputs
-8 ha of fenced illala plantations
-4 boreholes installed
-improved illala species planted in each plot
-at least 280-300 weavers involved in and received training in intensive illala production
-increasd income and improved standard of living

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Self Help Development Foundation

Country:

Zimbabwe

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 2

Grant Amount:

US$ 31,251.81

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 2,909.09

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 65,364.00

Project Number:

ZIM/98/G52/035

Start Date:

7/2000

End Date:

7/2003

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Linkages gef projects

N/A

Planning gef grant

N/A

Project sustainability

N/A

Replication of project activities

N/A

Planning non gef grant

N/a

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

See "notable community participation" above.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The Lupane Ilala project is the first, "on-the-ground" initiative to address the growing problem of the foreseeable extinction of the ilala palm. It will be the most strategic of activities aimed at protecting global biodiversity through local action. Government and the other NGOs in the affected regions are very supportive of the project and will soon mainstream the initiative for a possibility of developing a larger coordinated programme.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

The Lupane project though aiming at protecting the local biological diversity, it will at the same time address the issue of sustainable livelihoods through the safeguarding and development of sustainable ilala harvesting methods for income generation purposes.

Capacity - Building Component

The capacity of the community to arrest environmental degradation is certainly being developed in a way that addresses a global concern - biodiversity.

Gender Focus

The primary beneficiaries of the project are the Lupane women (72 in all) especially those relying on basketry for livelihood. Men are coming in to support the women through other ancillary activities.

Policy Influence

The project has influenced local policies in that a neighborhood watch was established and is operational. anyone caught cutting illala is reported to the ward councilor and is fined

Notable Community Participation

The project originated from the community and has further developed by an NGO called Self Help Development Foundation. The Basket Weaving Association of Lupane, a local CBO is the "on-the-ground" facilitating entity composed of local women from 6 localities withi the affected area. It is these local groupings whose participation will be vital to the overall success of the project.

Project Results

Project status

the project was satisfactorily completed and some objectives were attained.

The status of objectives achievement

The broad objective of this project was to protect the illala palm which was under heavy utilisation due to income generating activities of basketry weaving that use the palm. The illlala project ensured that the basket weaving project thrived and was sustainable. 5 illala plantations were established in 5 wards a a total of about 500 illala trees were planted and well managed. The most successful garden was that i Bangali ward which managed to fence and properly grow and maintain the illala. The ward had a total of 317 trees. The project faced many challenges that hindered the successful achievement of the project results. Some of the problems encountered were
1. That of ownership of the gardens- an issue to do with poor coordination of project stakeholders.
2. Locaton of the gardens. - the gardens were not centrally located and as a result only the project members closest to the gardens manged the gardens.
3. illala could not be successfully planted due to drought.

Capacity building of the women
Through the SHDF trainings on livelihoods projects he women were capacitated to meet their daily basic needs and to lead and organize themselves for development work. livelihoods of the women were met through income generating activities of dressmaking, soap making, weaving, and marketing.

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