Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) aims to encourage participation of local communities in forest management through identifying and declaring forests in their landscape as Community Forest Management Areas (CFMGs) under their direct control. Secondly promoting community involvement in the management of existing protected lands such as Local and National Forests in partnership with the Forestry Department providing them access and other user rights to forest resources in return for obligations for protection and management therein reducing forest loss, conserving biodiversity and ultimately expanding the area under sustainable management in Eastern Province. This is achieved primarily through the Community Forestry approach as well as creation of Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) targeting forests in an agricultural landscape. Promotion of non-extractive forest use, e.g., honey production and mushrooms growing as well as related forest-based community enterprises aims to incentivise sustainable forest management.
Sustainable Agriculture aims to promote widespread adoption of agricultural practices including conservation agriculture that increase food production per unit area and farmers’ income. The interventions include:
- Promotion and implementation of minimum tillage.
- Promotion and development of improved crop varieties with biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.
- Reduction in the use of mineral fertilisers (in-organic) through use of inorganic fertilisers with higher plant nutrient use efficiencies.
- Promotion of organic fertilisers, such as compost, manures.
- Improved crop management practices (crop rotations, cover crops).
- Promotion of appropriate mechanization.
This project involves promotion of the use of improved cook stoves aimed at reducing energy losses thereby contributing to reduction in deforestation and GHG emissions. The use of energy-saving stoves will transform the way women cook in rural communities. It will also help cut forest loss, save lives, improve livelihoods, and protect the environment at the same time.
This Programme involves promotion of sustainable wood harvesting through introduction, and promotion of coupe system in selected customary areas; (ii) promoting sustainable charcoal production through introduction and promotion of charcoal retort kilns in selected customary areas.
The project is supporting the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to strengthen the protection of forests and biodiversity conservation in National Parks and GMAs. The main activities include: Wildlife and habitat management; Promoting protection for Protected Areas (PA) through co-management; Promote Community Management of Wildlife in Game Management Areas; and Information dissemination. Two (2) national parks namely; Luambe and Lukusuzi National Parks are targeted for support.
