Title
Tanzania
Project Summary
In Mara, the extraction of resources from forests has caused local smallholder farmers to struggle with infertile soil, low water tables and erratic rainfall. Seedlings are grown in nurseries and distributed to the people that need it most. Through agroforestry systems on their farms and schools, the farmers and institutional beneficiaries are able to grow their own fodder, fuelwood, fiber, fruit and timber, and so no longer need to depend on forests for consumption or income generation.
Region
Project Status
Restoration Approach
Project Partners
Global Resource Alliance
Project Goals
Restore native forest
Increase food security
Create access to clean water
Promote access to medicinal and other forest products
Latest Project News
Why is intervention needed?
In the Mara Region of Tanzania, the untenable extraction of resources from forests has negatively impacted water, soil and climate, causing local smallholder farmers to struggle with infertile soil, low water tables and erratic rainfall.
Ecological restoration
Through agroforestry systems on their farms, the farmers and institutional beneficiaries are able to grow their own fodder, fuelwood, fiber, fruit and timber, and so no longer need to depend on local forest stands for consumption or income generation. This farm landscape restoration ultimately means forests have the opportunity to regenerate and are conserved for the long-term. In addition, the woody perennials planted improve soil fertility and water recharge, increasing crop yields and pastureland fodder for livestock. Fruit and timber trees provide food, fuelwood and shade.
Livelihood development
Beneficiaries of this project include smallholder farmers and institutions such as schools and churches. Agroforestry improves and conserves all natural resources - water, soil, biodiversity - on their land so that they are able to continuously grow and sell their own food and woody products instead of extracting and clearing local forests.