Project Detail

Natural Resource Management for Community Benefits in Binga and Lupane Districts - An Awareness Raising project

The project seeks to address the problem of over-exploitatation of the biodiversity in Lupane and Binga Districts through embarking on an intensive awareness raising exercise aimed at local communities, traditional leaders, Rural District Councils and NGOs. The awareness exercise will take the form of workshops held at both community and district level, production and distribution of posters and booklets on the value of the natural resources and undertaking study tours to sites, to various sites, to areas that have managed to put in place mechanisms for sustainable utilisation of the resources. The awareness raising process will culminate in the development of policy that will protect biodiversity in the two districts from over-exploitation.

A second component will support protection of natural vleis and wetlands where ilala grows. In addition a formalised system of harvesting and management of ilala palm will be instituted and at least 300 weavers will be trained on intensive ilala production. The project beneficiaries will also be trained on craft production and marketing and a revolving fund to assist in the marketing of wares will be established.

project objectives
-to raise awarenes on the value of natural resource and the need to protect them
-to create community institutions that will effectively manage the natural resources in their areas in an intergrated manner
-to train communities on issues of best practice in natural resource utilization , production , marketing and policy formulation
-to promot the conservation and propagation of illala palm
-to faclitate the organized marketing of all natural resource in the two districts

specific results
-by the end of the project , the level of awareness on sustainable utilization of the biodiversity in the districts
-at least 8ha of land fenced and improved illala species planted in each plot
-all vleis and wetlands where illala grows fenced and protected
-at least 300 weavers trained on intensive illala production
-a formalised system of harvesting and management of illala palm established
-detailed documentationon production and managementdevelped and disseminated

project activities
-conduct district -wide seminars at which qualified resource persons will present information about the role of biodivesity in a community
-set up ward level and an apex management committee
-conduct training sessions for all the clubs involved in the project
-construct and equip a craft assemble and distribution centre in Lupane district
-attending look and learn tours
-training and policy frmulation

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Basket Weavers Association of Lupane

Country:

Zimbabwe

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 2

Grant Amount:

US$ 49,235.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 10,000.00

Project Number:

ZIM/02/01

Start Date:

12/2002

End Date:

12/2005

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Binga and Lupane lie in the dry areas of Zimbabwe i.e. Regions IV and V and there is little or no rainfall for agricultural production. This project will go a long way in enabling the community to engage in craft production and marketing at local, regional and international level. This will enable the communities to get money for buying food and looking after their families. To asist in the marketing of wares, a revolving fund will be established. Some seed money will be provided for the procurement of transport to convey products to the market. In addition, apart from ilala palm, there are other resources which include hard wood forests for curio making and timber, existence of mopane worm which is prized a delicacy in the area and throughtout the country and wild life. All these resources can be sustainably utilised for the benefit of people's livelihoods

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Lupane and Binga are located in Matebeleland North which is the home for the Ndebele and Tonga people respectively. These indigenous groups have a lot of knowledge especially on traditional methods of harvesting ilala together with production of crafts. They are the ones who play a pivotal role in project design, implementation and monitoring and benefits from the project will directly accrue to them.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

One of the integral components of the project is awareness raising through seminars and workshops, production of pamphlets and posters to highlight the value of natural resources and practical solutions and conducting look and learn tours to other areas in Zimbabwe that have been successfully protected. The awareness raising exercise will focus on the biodiversity products in the area which include the ilala palm (grasses), hard wood forests, existence of Mopane worm and wildlife on how these resources can be protected for the betterment of people's livelihoods.

Capacity - Building Component

One of the major component is capacity building through training. District wide seminars will present information on the role of biodiversity in community development, local and international initiatives on protection of biodiversity, role of natural resource management institutions and formulation of by-laws. Besides protecting the already existing ilala areas, the community will be trained on ilala propagation and will establish their demonstration plots. In addition they will also receive training on craft production and marketing of their biodiversity products together with management of craft centres.

Replication of project activities

The activities in this project have been replicated by Nkayi Development Foundation (NFDF) - project number - ZIM/03/03 which falls in the same province i.e Matebeleland North Province.

Notable Community Participation

The communities in Binga and Lupane realised that their biodiversity products were facing extinction as a result of over-exploitation by outsiders coming from Harare and Lupane. They approached GEFSGP to assist and support them through an awareness raising exercise. As a result the community will be actively involved in the awareness raising workshops, in actual protection of by laws and in craft production. A Management Committee will be put in place which will work closely with the traditional leadership to ensue that there is sustainable harvesting of the ilala palm. The communities will participate in the look and learn tours which are a useful opportunity for information sharing and exchange.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The community is entitled to receive at least 55-60% of the revenue that is paid by timber loggers which is an innovative way of benefitting from their resources. They are also producing crafts for sale though the area of marketing still needs to be developed.

Project sustainability

The project is sustainable only because it encampasses the livelihood means of most women but however the project faces much obstacles emanating from gender related issues such as the opinion amongst men that the project is for women only. The project also faces threats to its sustainability emanating from the interference of the uncoordinated local leadership that wants authority over the proceedings of the project. However all these challenges can be overcome by having gender workshops and meetings with all involved stakeholders so as to elaborate on the conflicts of interests.

Policy Influence

The project managed to influence local policies on biodiversity conservation of the vlei and illala palm through community by laws that regulated the management and use of biodiversity.

Policy Impact

This project has helped to raise awareness on the harvesting of biodiversity products like timber especially by outsiders. For Lupane these are big timber loggers who if not controlled will lead to destruction of the forests. The community is working with the Kusile RDC to come up with by-laws to control the over-harvesting of the timber products and to ensure that they also get their share in terms of the proceeds from those who harvest the timber. The community has also proposed that some resource monitors from the community work with Forestry Commission in monitoring the timber levels.

Gender Focus

Women play a major role in economic activities in the districts especially craft production since their male folk have migrated to towns and neighbouring countries in search of employment. The Basket Weavers Association of Lupane which is the vehicle through which the project will be implemented is an association of women's clubs. It has a membership of 255 women weavers. The project focuses on working with these women though it has opened up to their male counterparts who are mostly into wood carving and production of curios. The project seeks to ensure that the capacity for women to manage and to be actively involved in decision making, by-law formulation and marketing of wares, is enhanced.

Project Results

Training workshops on basket making and production of crafts were conducted in three wards. crafts made were exhibited at the Zimbabwe international trade fair and this has resulted in the high demand for the products. SHDF also has a showroom in Bulawayo where the products are also exhibited.the major area that still needs capacity building is on propagation of the plant.

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