Imagining alternative approaches in Tanzania

On behalf of Wetlands International Africa (WIA), MAP undertook a second two-part CBEMR training for 28 participants in Kibiti and the Rufiji Delta, Tanzania. Over the course of eight days, participants from the Tanzanian Forest Service, local NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) as well as representatives from Kenya, Mozambique and Madagascar took part in a series of theoretical and practical sessions as part of the capacity building element of WIA’s ‘Mangrove Capital Africa’ program, funded by DoB Ecology, from the Netherlands.

The hugely important Rufiji Delta has the largest expanse of mangrove forest in East Africa. Yet, the forest is still being heavily degraded from agriculture developments for rice and over exploitation for poles and timber, which stress big trees, kill juvenile plants and restrict natural regeneration.

Our training sought to address sustainable conservation solutions with local communities. Following the CBEMR principles, participants learned about the fundamentals of mangrove ecology, restoration and conservation. Training included discussions on maintaining salinity levels, distributing seeds, and hydrology. Moreover, the group focused on the issue of encroachment by rice farmers in the western end of the delta. Stakeholders explored what conditions and resources the government would have to provide to stop further encroachment and incentives for farmers to restore the land, eventually encouraging them to move inland to farm in more appropriate areas.