Environmental policy and administrative management

Background The project is mainly on the conservation of wetlands. it is to be implemented in Hwedza and Makoni districts in which seven wards - Mawire, Chigodora, and Goto north in Hwedza, and ward 12, 15, 16 and 24 in Makoni district are the project sites. 100 hectares of wetlands were identified in seven wards of Hwedza and Makoni districts. 305 of the defined wetlands maintain water throughout the year and another 30% are currently dry or abandoned. 505 of the wetlands are being utilized in unsustainable ways. most of the wetlands collect water from the nearby springs, rivers and mountains which are naturally eroding landscapes. The wetlands are mainly used for gardening and irrigation purposes with each household allocated a small piece of land. large numbers of hard hoofed and thirsty stick are allowed direct access to permanent river pools, lakes and swamps, springs or soaks. the net result of this and other human destructive activities re the eutrophication of waterways, salinisation of some waters and poisosning of others, and drainage and flooding of systems through the geomorphological restructuring of rivers and wetlands. Destroying or degrading wetlands can lead to serious consequences such as increased flooding, extition of species, and decline in water quality. wetlands when managed well contribute to the provision of income, food security, health and nutrition, water storage and purification, flood and drought mitigation. Project Goal To rehabilitate and conserve wetlands through increased availability and growing of disease free high yielding varieties of banana and yam/ taro land races. Specific objectives 1. To rehabilitate and conserve wetlands in seven wards of Hwedza and Makoni districts within two years 2. To improve susatainable production of disease free banana and yam in wetlands in seven wards of Hwedza and Makoni districts within two years Project Activities 1. carrying out a wetlands baseline survey 2. awareness workshops in seven wards to be carried out 3. conduct workshops on rehabilitation and conservation of wetlands 4. wetlands look and learn tours carried out 5. wetlands land use plan produced for the seven wards 6.wetlands are demarcated and protected 7. wetlands conservation structures constructed 8. carry out workshops on banana and madhumbe agronomic practices 9. establishing demonstration centers for disease free nurseries 10. groups identify market and sign contracts for their produce. 8. documentation of activities Outputs 1. functional and well coordinated groups participate in wetlands management 2. wetland groups adopt rehabilitation and conservation practices in their wetland management 3. wetlands plans produced and implemented 4. local wetlands bylaws produced and policed 5.area under wetlands increases 6.quality and quantity of wetlands ecosystems, water and biodiversity improved 7. community appreciation of wetlands improves 8. wetland crop productivity and household income increases in the project period

Zimbabwe